Never flirt with the girl you just dipped in pond water
by IWishIHadWeasleyHair
Summary: Sara has had enough of the marauders and she's determined to get her own back on them with the help of her best friends Severus and Katie. But Katie has got problems of her own (one of those problems goes by the name Professor Knight) and Sev seems to be spending more and more of his time with the likes of Avery and Mulcimber. Lily/James OC/Sirius OC/OC first fanfic! please review
1. Chapter 1

**(Authors note)Hello! This is my first fan fiction and i would love it if people could give it a read and review! I promise the story is much better than the summary (well, i hope so anyway!) and ill try and update pretty regularly **

**Disclaimer: None of it is mine!:( Well, apart from the characters you do not recognise from Harry Potter, those are mine.**

Chapter 1

Never flirt with the girl you just dipped in pond water.

It was peaceful in the great hall on Monday morning, the whole of Hogwarts chattered quietly and even Death-Eaters-to-be on the Slytherin table were hexing first years good-humoredly. The ghosts floated merrily between tables and the Grey Lady could be seen actually _in conversation_ with the Bloody Barron. The peace was shattered however, by a scream from the back of the hall. Everyone turned in shock to see a dark haired girl stomping between the tables, red in the face, completely drenched and shouting.

"YOU GROUP OF INSOLENT TOADS!" The girl was wearing a dripping white nightgown, which was embarrassingly see-through, her feet were caked in mud and she wore one fluffy slipper, which was trailing pondweed "You've taken it TO FAR this time!" She came to a furious stop in front of the Marauders. "How DARE you put my bed in the LAKE! It's bloody DECEMBER do you have any idea how FREEZING THE WATER IS?!" She yelled in James Potters face. She poked Sirius Black in the chest "What if I couldn't swim?! What if I'd just woken up floating round on my bed with the giant squid poking me and fallen off? WHAT IF ID DROWNED?! As it was I had to SWIM to SHORE without my WAND! What if a Grindalow had grabbed me? My fingers are Fucking BLUE!" She snatched a handful of Peters robes " Where is my wand you little THIEF?! You just don't _take_ peoples wands when you're pranking them! That's low, even for YOU!" She finally turned to the group at large, scowling at Remus. "You group of idiotic bullies! Why can't you leave us alone! Don't you have _anything_ less pathetic to do than messing with Slytherins?" Sirius Black smirked

"No, not particularly…" This was apparently the wrong thing to say.

"I've had _enough_ of this bloody schools unfair preferential treatment of you _stuck-up Gryffindor scum_!" Professor McGonagall stood up, the word detention at the tip of her tongue but Dumbledore held up his hand to silence her, an amused twinkle in his eye.

"Let her get it out of her system." He told her.

"Your completely self-centered and proud! Your whole bloody house thinks your _sooo much _better_ than EVERYONE ELSE!_ You think the whole school revolves around Gryffindor, according to you, Ravenclaw are a load of snobby nerds, being Hufflepuff is a joke because only people who are too lame for the other houses get in, you don't even _consider_ them rivals in Quiddich and the house cup and as for Slytherin, according to you we're all evil dark wizards who have to be hexed every now and then to be kept in check! You all think you're so perfect! Well. YOUR. NOT. Every single house has it's good and bad points and the fact people have been allowed to _bully other students_ just because they come from the so-called bad guy house is an outrage!-"

"Miss Lay! Are you _quite_ done yet?" McGonagall said angrily.

"No." Sara shot at her, irritated, the students tittered. "-You marauders have crossed the line! I'm going to make you sorry you ever met me!-"

"_Miss Lay!" _McGonagall said more forcefully.

"I'm not finished yet!" She yelled causing outright laughter from the other tables. "-It's time someone taught you group of toe-rags a lesson! You just WAIT!" Sirius smiled charmingly.

"Calm down honey," he looked at her several inches south of her face. "Why don't we sort this out some other time, maybe over a couple of butter beers?..." He asked completely unashamed.

"Ac-Accio wand!" She shouted.

"They've locked it in James truck, it's not going anywhere…" Remus admitted from behind a charms textbook.

"So, what do you say, sweetheart?" Sirius asked with a wolfish grin, winking suggestively. Sara flushed and let out a strangled sound, her hand twitched to behind her ear where she usually kept her wand. Picking up a pitcher of pumpkin juice she emptied its contents on Sirius Blacks elegant black hair. He spluttered, outraged, wiping the thick orange liquid out of his eyes, glaring.

"50 points from Slytherin, Miss Lay! And detention every Saturday for a month, 4.00 pm! Boys, for endangering the life of another student 20 points from Gryffindor –each! Detention every Sunday until i inform you otherwise 4.00 pm!" Sara let out a disbelieving sound "- Sirius Black, a further 30 points for lack of respect for the opposite sex you will also join Miss Lay in detention for the rest of the month!" Sirius lost his smirk rather quickly. "Now, Miss Johnson," A Slytherin girl stood quickly worried about receiving a tongue lashing, "please escort Sara Lay to Madam Pomfrey before she develops pneumonia." She hurried her friend (who was decidedly blue) towards the doors.

_Sara's P.O.V:_

I spent a whole week in the hospital wing with a chest infection. An entire week! I'm studying for N.E.W.T's, I can't _afford _one week. On the day before I left I was sat in my hospital bed eating Bertie Botts every flavor beans with my best mates Katie Johnson and Severus Snape. Katie was stretched languidly across the bottom of the bed while Sev sat in a chair he'd pulled up by the bed eating a sugared mouse with a troubled expression.

"I just don't think you should do it," Severus said carefully.

"I don't see why not!" I snapped throwing a bean to Katie who caught it in her mouth with a grin "They've had it coming to them… Anyway I thought _you_ of all people would be happy! We hate the marauders, don't tell me your going soft on them." His face twisted into an ugly snarl.

"Don't be ridiculous. Of course I hate that band of flee-ridden mongrels and mudbloods," I shifted uncomfortably I'm a half blood like Severus but my family don't share the blood-purity views typical of Slytherin, but in this day and age its best to keep that particular fact quiet. "Its just there's a reason why they're the ones who run around hexing people and were the ones being hexed!" My eyebrows knitted together,

"What are you trying to say?"

"He's telling you not to bite of more than you can chew." Katie sing-songed from the bottom of the bed catching another bean between her teeth.

"Exactly, thank you Katie, if you prank the marauders they'll prank you three times harder, they'll never leave us alone. I say we just keep our heads down and hope they forget about us for a bit."

"Oh for gods sake Sev! Like they're just going to _forget_ about us after six years! Don't be so meek it really doesn't suit you, have an ounce of dignity and be brave for once in your life! Imagine there faces if we pranked them…" I basked in the glory of the image for a second before taking a huge bite of a suspiciously brown bean, choking and spitting it out retching and coughing "-Urgh! I don't even want _think_ what flavor that was! -" I spluttered as Katie patted me on the back laughing herself stupid. Even Sev was smirking from behind a chocolate cauldron. Madam Pomfrey burst in fussing.

"What is the meaning of this? She is meant to be getting _rest_ Miss Johnson, I don't see what's so funny!" I giggled with a wide smile,

"I'm okay Miss, sorry about the noise…" As Madam Pomfrey turned on her heel she flounced of muttering about noisy students and ungrateful pests, her dramatic exit was somewhat marred by the fact that she stood in the brown goop I'd spat on the floor on her way out. Katie caught my eye and raised a perfect black eyebrow, we both stifled giggles as I turned back to Severus.

"…As I was saying it's a bad idea Sara, I wont pretend I wouldn't like to see them knocked down a peg or two, but you shouldn't be the one to do it…"

"I don't care. They charmed my bed. Into. The. Fucking. Lake. I'm sooo up for revenge right now, I could write a song about it!"

"And as much as we would simply _love_ to hear it, Severus has a point, why us?" Katie pointed out.

"Why aren't you on my side?"

"See! Katie agrees with me. -Don't you Kate?" Sev looked at her to back up his argument.

"Potter and Black will bloody own you…" Her face twisted into an evil smile, eyes twinkling mischievously, "…And it will be hilarious!" Sev groaned and put his head in his hands as we giggled and high-fived.

"Common Sev, lighten up, It'll really brighten up our year." She pointed out. He looked up skeptically, hair stuck up at weird angles. I sighed.

"And maybe they'll be so busy avoiding humiliation and trying to kill me they forget to pick on you?" This seemed to cheer him up and I grinned, "You are _such _a Slytherin!"

" You say that as if it's a bad thing!" Katie snorted.

"Never!" We cried. All three of us brandish whatever we had to hand (a box of beans, pumpkin juice, and half a chocolate cauldron) we knocked them together, sloshing pumpkin juice on the bed,

"To operation Prank The Marauders!" Sev and me exclaimed.

"And to Sirius Blacks arse!" Katie added much to our outrage (seriously Snape practically went purple). I chucked a bean at her snickering as it bounced of her head.

"We hate him remember! No time to contemplate his –admittedly gorgeous- arse!" Sev was looking at us as if we were insane "...Hey! Wait! Give that back! –I think that one was Strawberry!"


	2. Chapter 2 The Slug Club

**Hey again. I wanted to wait till my birthday to update again but I'm too impatient:) This morning i found out about my FIRST EVER FOLLOWER and I'm ridiculously happy, alliecat1998 you've made my day:D so yes this is chapter two...on with the story!**

Chapter 2

The Slug Club

_Katie's POV_

I shot Sara and Severus a sideways glance, from my perch on the black leather sofa. They were settled together on the other side of the coffee table in Slytherin Common Room hunched over charms homework. Sometimes I wonder if those two…? But no, Severus is still completely enthralled with that selfish bitch Lily Evans and I'm pretty sure Sara doesn't particularly like anyone, never mind Severus. We all chatted aimlessly about nothing in particular for a while until finally Sev brought up the Gryffindor's (or rather a certain redhead we all know he's fixated with).

"Did you hear Lily got asked to join the Slug Club?" Sara paused quill half way to the paper, shoulders stiff. I sighed heavily, looking up from my nails.

"Severus, don't even stoop so low as to think about her, she's made her opinion on you clear enough." Sara still wasn't writing. "In any case I did actually, she may be muggleborn but he's always worshiped the ground she walk on. He's retiring as head of Slytherin, did you know? Apparently after Christmas there's going to be a new DADA teacher, taking over the post." Sara finally relaxed now talk had moved of her ex-best friend.

"Seriously?" She asked, "How do you know? Wasn't it being kept from students, I thought he was considering keeping the post until next year?"

"Well, we all know why he's retiring, it's the pressure; half the parents in our house are Death Eaters, I heard Avery's father already approached him." I smirked proudly, "Besides, my cousins, the Lestrange boys? They told me the new guy was in there year, he's keen to take over the position." Sev looked incredulous,

"That would make him twenty-four tops!"

"And quite the looker there hag of a mother informed me," I snickered. "Nearly believed her until she went on to explain he's from one of the richest pureblood families in Europe." Sara shot me a pitying look but a quick warning glance reminded her to keep her mouth shut about my present sitution in front of Severus.

"So, err, what dress are you wearing to slugs?" Sev groaned at the topic and hastily stood up.

"Goodnight girls, I am suddenly overcome with fatigue."

"Your just jealous you don't have the legs to pull of a cocktail dress!" We cackle across the room after him, he slammed his hands over his ears chuckling good-naturedly.

_Lily's POV_

I walked into Slughorn's office, looking round nervously. Most people were sat round the table already and looked up when I walked in. I immediately felt self-conscious, uncomfortably aware that my green, knee length, high-waisted dress was rather less formal than everyone else's. Why had I worn the polka dot hairband? I groaned internally as some Slytherin girl eyed my hair skeptically.

"Ah! Lily Evans I see!" Professor Slughorn introduced me "Lily will be joining the Slug club from now on, she a rather astonishing potions maker." As he stared a longwinded story about my first ever brewing in his classroom, I sat down and had made a big dent in my first course, ignoring the delighted glances Potter was shooting me across the table 'inconspicuously', by the time he started introductions.

"This is Malcolm Nott," He pointed to a mean-looking Slytherin "His farther was a very good friend of mine. Lector Scott Captain of the Hufflepuff team," I noticed he was the only Hufflepuff in the room; he nodded politely in my direction. "That's Katie Johnson, her parents are the owners of _Spotless_ a multi-million award winning magical skincare company." The beautiful slightly exotic-looking Slytherin who'd eyed my hairband narrowed her eyes at me in what even my mother could not pretend was a friendly gesture. "Sara Lay, also very proficient at potion making, her fathers a judge in the department of magical law enforcement." I froze, staring at the skinny girl with dark brown coppery hair whose eyes were fixed on her salad. Sara Lay and Severus Snape had once been my best friends at Hogwarts, up until that awful day in third year when Sev had called me _that word_. Sara and I had a massive argument when she tried to convince me to forgive Severus and we'd avoided each other awkwardly ever since. Slughorn was still talking, but I couldn't concentrate enough to pay attention. It was only when blooming Potters name came up I finally stopped my trip down memory lane. "…And, of course, James Potter, your rather infamous rival I believe?" I glanced up and found myself looking the boy directly in the eye. His mouth twitched at my reaction and I forced my face into an indifferent mask.

"I suppose you might say that." I said coolly. Black chortled quietly from his seat next to Potter.

"His father is head of the Auror office at the ministry. So, that's everyone I believe. Now, forgive me for being inquisitive," He waved his hand and the plates were suddenly piled with chicken drumsticks and roast potato's "But would you care to explain why you dislike my good friend Potter here so adamantly? He seems in fact to be rather charming, if an inefficient potions brewer" He smiled and leant forward in his chair seemingly unaware even as I choked on my chicken. Seriously? _Seriously? _My face burnt red under people's expectant gazes. Potter had even gotten to _Slughorn?_ I cleared my throat, gathering my wits under Potters scrutiny. I looked up at him coldly; he shot me a nervous smile, which threw me momentarily. No, it was James Potter, I should not feel at all sorry for that horrible boy.

"James Potter is one of the most awful individuals I've ever had the displeasure of knowing; he's the most arrogant, selfish, bullying, uncaring person I've ever met who doesn't give a flying toss about anyone less fortunate than himself. I hate him more than any one else in the world and _nothing_ he can do will _ever _change my opinion of him." Silence rang around the table. Potter gaped at me in momentary shock and even I couldn't pretend there wasn't serious hurt in his eyes. Everyone was watching me as my hands began to sweat and my fork felt slippery in my grip.

"Quiddich is looking up for Hufflepuff this year, wouldn't you agree?" Lector Scott commented in a pitiful attempt to change the subject. I looked at him in disbelief, as the only Hufflepuff in the room he'd practically thrown himself to the lions. Black and Nott both started to disagree in raised voices and I shot Lector a thankful glance. He grinned at me and I noticed he had a very attractive smile, all straight teeth and dimples; he raised his shoulder a fraction and mouthed 'no worries' before rejoining the debate. I realized with surprise Potter had remained silent through the whole exchange and turned to see he was glaring at Lector with such hatred he looked like he might throttle him. Oh dear. He returned his resentful glower to his potatoes, which he stabbed savagely with his fork.


	3. Chapter 3 Fishing For Teddy Bears

**This is chapter three (duh...)and i just wanted to say thank you to everyone who's reviewed and followed this story, so thanks to alliecat1998, xxDignity and to HandsomeHolly and Snoofly13 for reviewing. Please review ****  
**

Chapter 3

Fishing for Teddy bears

_Sara's P.O.V_

I stomped my foot angrily as the spell failed to produce anything once again.

"Accio Dum-dee-dum!" I shouted a bit louder, feeling ridiculous. I looked out at the great expanse of the lake from my little clearing, I really had no hope of finding that stupid teddy! I felt tears prick up in my eyes as I dropped my arse down on a boulder.

"Accio you fucking mangy useless piece of fluff!" I yelled out across the lake.

"What on _earth_ are you doing Lay?" A most unwelcome voice echoed from behind me. I leaped up wiping a hand across my eyes furiously.

"_Black?_" He saw my scowl and put his hands up in surrender.

"Don't shoot!" He joked.

"What?" I snapped, confused.

"It a muggle thing…" He said uncomfortably.

"Well you _would_ know all about muggle things, right Black?" I muttered scathingly. He was up in my face in an instant.

"You be very careful what you say there, Sara. I'd hate to give you another taste of that lake water." He snarled. My breath was coming out in short gulps; the backs of my calves were pushed against the rock and his face was so close to mine I could count the sooty black lashes that surrounded his grey eyes, which crackled with anger. He looked furious. Dangerous. Very _very _dangerous and yet so completely stunning at the same time. Ashamed of my reaction to his closeness as well as my behavior I quickly apologized.

"I-I'm s-sorry." I gasped, face red, "You're right, I shouldn't have said that." I cringed as he moved suddenly, but he just pulled away.

"So, what are you doing here?" He murmured.

"Oh, I was just -um- I was…" I didn't want to tell the stupid git that my childhood teddy bear was currently in the webbed clutches of a merperson, it would sound too pathetic. "I was…fishing." I wanted to slap myself (_Fishing? _I'm so dumb its dangerous.).

"Fishing?" He raised his eyebrows so they disappeared behind his effortlessly elegant fringe. I knew he didn't believe me but my mouth just kept on moving.

"Yes, I'm rather good at it."

"Oh really?" He was clearly amused now, his shoulder were shaking with restrained laughter.

"I could catch anything." I continued waffling.

"Ok, catch me…a trout?" He snorted at my expression.

"Accio…Trout?" I winced as to my horror something silver immediately streaked out the water twenty meters of and sped towards us. I watched as the slimy thing flew straight into Blacks stomach.

"Holy cow!" He shouted trying to get a hold on the slippery creature. Jumping forward I tried to grab hold of it and after shrieking and leaping around for thirty second we were finally gripping a trout between us.

"_Ewwwww!_ Throw it in!" I yelped and he gently placed it back in the water. We stopped; panting, and slowly we both began to laugh at our ridiculous situation.

"So, what were you really doing down here?" He asked me gently when we eventually settled lying side by side on the pebbled beach. I turned to face him slowly, admiring his strong jaw and perfect nose.

"I…I was looking for my teddy, his name was Dum-dee-dum. I lost it you see when…well, when you charmed my bed to appear in the middle if the lake, he was my favorite teddy, my mum gave him to me when I was born." He, to my surprise, looked apologetic as he turned to face me.

"I'm really sorry about that. You didn't deserve it; heck Snivelus wouldn't have deserved it!" The words hung between us for a couple of seconds. His eyes met mine and I suddenly became aware that we were lying, more or less touching, right next to each other and that he were leaning closer…closer…a couple of inches more and our lips…might…just…touch… I leaped up in shock, stumbling away from him, red faced and gulping for air.

"I-I- _I don't __**like**__ you!_ Were not- friends- you shouldn't…I should go." Sirius-_Black_- jumped to his feet too, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yeah, sorry, -um- we don't…this conversation never happened…I should Hex you or, or something." He mumbled.

"Yes," I agreed, blushing. We stood staring at each other for another second, frozen, unsure what to do. "Well, _piss of then,_ you great lug!" I snapped finally. "And don't even _think_ you're of the hook! Your band of losers better watch their backs!" He smirked briefly in relief and without so much as a goodbye disappeared into the trees.


	4. Chapter 4 Letters From Home

**Many thanks to ****twilightlover4life13 and also to HandsomeHolly for reviewing my last chapter (you reviews are what keeps this story going:D). So this is another shortish chapter...if you think i should make them longer please take a moment to mention it in the reviews *hint hint wink wink*;P Anyway, this chapter starts of a bit more heavy than the other ones have been so I tried to make up for it with a bit of fluffy stuff at the end...BTW the song Sirius sings (very badly) is Gives You Hell by the All-american rejects and I AM aware it was wasn't written in the 70s and for that I'm sorry (i know how you all feel, it annoys me too). anyway, here it is...**

Chapter 4

Letters from home

_Katie's P.O.V_

I looked at the cream envelope in my lap, examining my mothers swirling handwriting. I'm not scared of my own mother and I don't need to wait for Sara to get back from detention to open it, I don't need anyone. Ignoring my shaking fingers I open the envelope and pull out the letter:

Dearest Katie

Hello darling! You're farther and I are in France, staying at your Aunt Agatha's vineyard, you remember Aunt Agatha? Anyway, she's got a boy just your age that's looking for engagement and he's willing to wait until you've finished school for the wedding! Obviously nothings been definitely arranged, so if you _do_ change your mind about marrying one of the bachelors with better prospects at that school of yours then do be sure to let us know before the end of the year. If you do not find a more suitable husband by then you will be getting married here in France two weeks after your graduation. Remember, Samuel Knight, who's taken the position at your school as Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher, is the eighth richest man in Europe, so don't let trivial rules about student-teacher relations stop you at least _considering _him as an appropriate candidate. The Parkinson's are most certainly not letting such petty things stop _their _daughter from trying. I know how you feel about this whole marriage malarkey darling, but your positively giving your poor mother grey hairs!

Yours Katharine Johnson

I scowled down at the page in numbed shock. Why was I surprised? Oh, look, she'd even mentioned that posh old teacher bastard at the end! And what kind of a name is Samuel? I've never met a sexy man in my life that calls himself _Samuel_; I felt a cold wave of hatred for a man I've never even met. It was almost as powerful as the one I directed at the photograph I pulled out the envelope, it had second cousin Paul Moreau scrawled on the back. The picture was of a 17-year-old boy with a puff of blond hair, a thin frame, crooked nose and a definite lack of eyebrows. He stared uncomfortably out the frame occasionally looking over his shoulder as if someone was calling and would smile widely, though you could barely tell from the angle. I scrunched up the picture and threw it into the bin followed by the letter, pretending there weren't tears in my eyes, because Johnsons do not cry.

Sara's P.O.V

I sat obediently at my desk in the Transfiguration classroom, finishing a potions essay and waiting for bloody Sirius Black to arrive. He was late; as usual. When he _finally _decided to grace us with his presence McGonagall informed us that as punishment this week we would be polishing the trophy room for Filch. Like, manually. I hate those stupid marauders! This is ENTIRLY their fault.

"Are you seriously going to ignore me for the next two hours?" Gosh that was a tough stain. "Layyyyyy…?" Black whined. Honestly what even is that? Tar? "Really? What are we? Five? So, we almost kissed, who cares? We're hormonal teenagers, its totally normal…it doesn't have to _mean _anything besides I'm so deeply attractive no normal girl could EVER resist me. Your just one of many…you can continue on hating me regardless… " Lalala I felt like a house elf lalala…. "Pleaseeeeee talk to me…Oi! Slytherin! Do you speak...? What do you even think about all day? Some evil scheme you concocting in that head of yours?" Ah, finally the dirt began to shift! He went silent for a while, about time too. Suddenly, just as the silence became awkward, he began to hum something.

"…When you see my face, hope it gives you hell, hope it gives you hell…when you walk my way, hope it gives you hell, hope it gives you hell…now where's your…love? And WHERE'S that shiny car? And did it ever get you far…You've never seemed so tense love!...never seen you fall so hard…do you know where you are…and truth be told I miss you…and truth be told I'M LYING!...When you see my face, hope it gives you hell, hope it gives you hell!...when you walk my way hope it gives you hell, hope it gives you hell!... If you find a man that's worth a damn and treats you well, then he's a fool, YOUR JUST AS WELL, hope it gives you hell!" About half way through this amusing serenade he stood up and threw his rag to the side dramatically, dancing around with a broom.

"You really are an atrocious singer, you know." I said nonchalantly, polishing an invisible speck of dirt off the trophy in my hand. He nodded, grinning, brushing his fringe out of his sparkling eyes,

"Worked didn't it?"

"You think you're so funny…" I huffed.

"Aren't I?" He asked wittily. Forcing back a traitorous smile I shook my head sullenly.

"Just keep polishing and try and remember who your friends are, for god sake Black. You know I can't stand you." I grumbled. His reply came in a whisper that wasn't really meant for me,

"So you say…"


	5. Chapter 5 To Prank, Or Not To Prank

** So I've slaved away in a pile of tissues most of the morning on this story. It really sucks being ill as it's my birthday tomorrow:( You'll probably figure out which chapter i wrote in a cloud of snot-nosed ****misery, as it wont exactly be a bundle of laughs. I'd like to thank Soniaham for following this story and to HandsomHolly for bothering to review again yesterday. I'll grate on all your nerves again by asking you all to leave a review, just to push me to not leave this story:)**

**Disclaimer: If i owned the Harry Potter series, I'd be travelling round the world in a gold-encrusted yacht...and Draco would still have all of his lovely hair...and Fred would still be alive...**

Chapter 5

To Prank, Or Not To Prank

Katie's P.O.V

Sara and I stepped out of Flitwick's classroom boxes full of baubles and candles stacked in our arms.

"Remind me why we're doing this?" I puffed as we staggered towards the grand staircase.

"Because we want to practice our charms work and are incredibly helpful students setting the standard of behavior at this magical institute?" She said simply. I shot her a blasé glance over the top of my pile of boxes, earning a mischievous look back.

"What? We _are_ practicing our charms work! You never know when these charms might come in handy." I snorted.

"Indeed, I can't imagine us spending the rest of our lives _not_ needing to bombard people with festive ornaments." She giggled for a minute before hissing,

"Shut up, someone could hear you!" We entered the great hall where professor Flitwick was levitating decorations onto the massive Christmas trees. While he was busy at the top of a ladder charming baubles to arrange themselves on the branches, we were giving the baubles our own little charms.

"You're doing it wrong." She pointed out in a whisper. I shot her a dirty look,

"No I'm not! I do not do things _wrong_."

"Well, you are. You're supposed to have more of a sharp downwards flick motion, not a stabbing movement."

"I'll stab you in a minute…" I snapped, but when she turned away I swirled my wand around a bit, trying to flick instead of stab.

Sara's P.O.V

It was dinner in the grand hall and the countdown up to Christmas had begun. Katie, Sev and I sat at the end of Slytherin table. I sent Sev a secret grin and he allowed his lips to curl cruelly as he glanced at the Marauders laughing and throwing bits of bacon at the Hufflepuffs. I followed his gaze to see Sirius make a particularly impressive shot at Lector Smith, the good-looking seventh year that was a regular at slugs. Dick. Sirius Black is the most annoying, self-absorbed git I've ever met (James Potter included)… that weird thing in detention was a complete fluke... Clearly. Just like the weird lake thing was a fluke…Clearly.

"Can't we just do it now?" Sev whined impatiently.

"No! Wait till the first years get here, we need as much cover as possible." I reminded him. Katie looked around gloomily; she'd been acting strangely recently. I reminded myself to quiz her later.

About fifteen minutes later Sev prodded me eagerly.

"Everyone's distracted now! Come on guys it's the perfect moment..._please!_"

"I thought this was supposed to be a horrible idea, Severus." I muttered. Katie looked around, surveying the room.

"Fine. Now will do." Katie said blankly, seeming distracted. She slipped her wand out under the table and shut her eyes as she began to mutter the activation spell, a swirling purple trail of sparks trailed out of her wand and for a second I was terrified someone would see, but it quickly dissolved and we turned subtly towards Gryffindor table holding our breath. A bauble unhooked itself from one of the trees and leisurely hovered over to the Marauders. It stopped finally over Peter's head and gradually the whole of Gryffindor Table turned to look. Peter Pettigrew was the last to notice, he looked up slowly as the bauble began to lower towards him,

"-Oh-" It suddenly dive-bombed his head and he let out a little squeak as it transformed from glass ornament to a water balloon at the last second.

The loud splash caught the attention of all the tables and the whole hall watched as several more decorations began to unhook themselves and flew towards the Gryffindor table. The next one landed on Potter and exploded into little birds that circled his head like a cartoon. Soon the whole table was an eruption of fireworks, stink bombs and uncontrolled chaos. I watched with mild regret as several hit Lily, covering her in paint splatters. The other tables erupted into laughter as students dived under desks or tried to flee the hall.

"Katie, did you create the paint spell?" I whispered. She smiled evilly, looking like her usual self for the first time in a while.

"Why ever would I do that? Oh, but look, doesn't the orange complement Lily's hair beautifully?" I sighed and returned my amused gaze to the table. I just about caught sight of Black when he disappeared behind a cloud of self-raising flour. Ha. Serves him right. Dum-dee-dum was still getting water logged at the bottom of the lake. I hadn't even told Katie, she would just roll her eyes and laugh at me for being so immature. I laughed nastily at him as he coughed and blinked. Finally Dumbledore waved his wand and all he chaos ended abruptly. Once the laughter had died down he magically amplified his voice,

"Does anyone know who is responsible for this?" He thundered. His eyes met mine and I squirmed guiltily, forcing what I prayed was a look of wide-eyed innocence.


	6. Chapter 6 James Bloody Potter

**So, Hey:) It's my birthday! Maybe some kind soul could leave a little gift in the review box;P So this is a silly sort of chapter because I felt guilty about the criminal lack of Lily/James action! Please don't shoot me for making James act like an idiotic weirdo:( It's ****only because Lector Scott is winning the Quiddich cup and James is in a royal bad mood worthy of Oliver Wood:) anyhow, **

**disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter Neville would have married Luna. And he didn't. So there's your answer.**

Chapter 6

James Bloody Potter

Lily's P.O.V

Everyone knew it was Sara. She'd practically announced she was going to prank the marauders a couple of weeks ago. Of course, nobody thought she'd actually stick to her word. And certainly those who did never _dreamed_ she would do it on such a scale, at least not alone…hmm…maybe that Pureblood girl she always hung out with helped…? Either way, the problem was, there wasn't any proof. The last magical signature on the baubles was Professor Flitwick's and obviously it wasn't him. Whoever it was knew what they where doing (Sara did it! Obviously, just saying…). I felt a twang of pride when I remembered James stunned expression as a pie slammed right into his face. She was inventive; I'd give her that.

As a prefect I was one of the team searching the castle to clean up the chaos the prank had caused (Baubles had chased people as far as the dungeons before exploding into bubbles, confetti or even in one case live butterflies…one of the more alarming problems seemed to have arisen when a first year ducked out of the way of a particularly impressive flying reindeer and it exploded on a platter of roast chickens, the headless creatures had been spotted plodding all around the school and appeared to be reproducing at an alarming rate.).

I love Christmas, it's my favorite time of year, something about the atmosphere and the smell of cinnamon sticks completes me. There's really only ONE THING I dislike about Christmas…Mistletoe. The stupid plant is just a lame excuse for unattractive creeps to dance around committing what in my opinion is a serious criminal offence of lip-rape. Namely James Potter. That's why _usually _I go home for the holiday season. Sadly, Petunia has decided to _hijack_ Christmas day for her stupid wedding to her stupid walrus fiancé. NOT ONLY am I officially uninvited from the occasion, now I will forever more be obliged to spend all of Christmas being all cooey over there anniversary instead of sending people handmade gifts and magically pimping up my Christmas tree (yes, it _needs_ magical pimping). So, now, instead of residing in my room free of any scary mistletoe booby traps Potter has undoubtedly set up for me, I'm here completely exposed for the next 24 days 16 hours and 45 minutes. And I _know, _I just _know_ he's going to get me.

I was sat on my favorite armchair by the fire in Gryffindor common room reading a muggle romance novel and staring into the flames. Sometimes I wonder where things had gone so wrong with Sev, Sara and I. We'd been so close and all it took was one little word to rip us apart. Of course, that wasn't completely true; things had always been a little strained with the other Slytherins, especially towards the later years. As for Sara I only had myself to blame, I'd pushed her away, made her choose when I knew she was too compassionate to leave Sev alone. I was always the strong, stubborn one, the one who tried to protect them from Potter and never the one who Potter picked on. They tried to help me too, when people called me names but standing up to people in Slytherin house is like a game of chess, you have to look five steps ahead, and one wrong move results in Check Mate. Life is a game and you can only rely on yourself to watch your back. So really, it was all my fault. And I missed them.

"Lily flower!" Sirius Black hopped onto the armchair, throwing his arms around my neck.

"Get. Off. Me. Right. Now. OR. GOD HELP ME. I WILL HEX YOU! -" Potter stomped in like he owned the place, lying on the sofa opposite me.

"Padfoot leave her alone," he said evenly, scowling up at the ceiling. I noticed his glasses had tape wrapped round the middle of the frame and both him and Sirius were covered in mud.

"Urgh, you all stink, what have you been _doing? _Rolling in horse shit?" Potter sent me a peeved glance.

"Practicing for the game the week after next! How can you _not know _that? Do you have NO sense of house pride?!" Urgh, what an idiot…

"Well, if you care so much about house pride, why don't you spend a little more time EARNING points, instead of having them_ taken away from the rest of us_!" Potter glared at me from his sofa.

"_Quiddich! I was talking about the QUIDDICH CUP!"_ He growled as if I was a complete fool for thinking otherwise and if there's one thing I can't stand, it's being treated like a fool.

"For goodness sake Potter, get over yourself!" I shouted walking over to him angrily.

"Or, better yet, why don't I GET OVER YOU!" He yelled standing up glaring at me hands balled into fists.

"Brilliant plan Potter, I suggest you get to work on that immediately." I deadpanned. Yes! Yes! Yes! Finally! He stomped past angrily and flounced up the stairs to the boy's dorms. We all watched him go.

"What's up with him then?" I sighed.

"He thinks Lector might have a chance at the cup this year." Sirius explained.

"Is he right?" James was famous for his 'Quiddich mood swings'.

"Yep. We don't stand a chance; the new chasers we got this year couldn't score a hoop if we taped it to the end of their arm and as for the new seeker, he can't see for shit." I looked at him blankly.

"I'm guessing all of the above was bad?" I said innocently.

"Oh har har har Lily, funny." Remus said sarcastically from behind a book, grinning at me. Remus was my favorite marauder by far and we often studied together.

"I try…" I smiled cheerfully. Potter was angry with me! Maybe this time he would _stay_ angry and I wouldn't have to worry about the mistletoe problem after all! That thought had just about formed in my head when Potter loped back into the common room.

"Ignore that last bit, Evans! Relax, I didn't actually mean it. Fancy meeting up in Hogsmead Sunday?" He asked beaming and messing up his hair nauseatingly.

"Hmm, how about NO?" I snapped, so much for that little bit of wishful thinking then.

"You busy? Never mind, I'll try another time…By the way, you've got some orange stuff stuck in your fringe." He smirked and raced back up the stairs as the boys snorted.

"Do I?" I asked Remus self-consciously patting my hair.

"Yep, you look ridiculous!" Sirius said laughing.

"Says you! Do you never shower? Or is all that flour just magically charmed to stick to your hair forever?" I snarled referring to the way with hair was all strange and matted after being hit by a bag of flour yesterday.

"Whatever…"He said, looking miffed. "Remus bet you 5 gallons Potty tries again by breakfast."

"Do I _look_ stupid enough to actually bet against that?" Remus sighed.

"I will Sirius!" Peter said obliviously.

"How can James honestly be that deluded?" I muttered gaping at the boy's stairs where Potter had stood 15 seconds ago…James Potter just _had_ to make his entire life into one big joke! Did that boy even know how to be serious about _anything_? You know, apart from his stupid ball games.

***Please don't shoot me.-. ***


	7. Chapter 7 The Astronomy Tower

**I know this chapter is wayyyyy worse than all the others but in my personal defence i did have a temperature when writing it so um...I ****apologise I swear they aren't all this bad I've just been a bit sick recently:( Anyway thank to RandomReviewer and HandsomHolly for wishing me a happy B-day, it really put a smile on my face so thanks...here it is...sighhh**

Chapter 7

The Astronomy tower

Sara's P.O.V

I woke up at three thirty in the morning, which for me is all but unheard of, desperate to go and sit down in the kitchens with a cup of tea and feel sorry for myself a couple of hours before I faced the Great Hall. I looked at the other four-poster beds in the room, mine was the furthest from the door, so I had to tiptoe past everyone else's; Bella Parkinson was snoring quietly, her fake-blond hair hiding her face; Elisa Yaxley was curled up in a ball, scowling at something only she could see; Diana Spellman rolled over when I snuck past and for a horrible moment I thought she would wake up. I stopped dead in front of Katie's bed. Empty. The bed was neatly made and it was clear she never came back from the common room the night before. I wasn't too worried; maybe she fell asleep on the sofa after Sev went to his dorm. But when I got down to the common room it was deserted, I sat down by the fire looking out of the single window in the room. It faced onto the bottom of the lake, which honestly freaked me out a little sometimes. I watched as what could have been giant squid stirred the shadows twenty feet off. Sighing I stood up and snuck out of the portrait hole to go find her. If I got another detention for this god help me I would strangle that girl!

I'd checked the library, the Owlry, looked in the kitchens _and_ ran away from Mrs. Norris twice. There was only one other place I could think she would be. I struggled to balance the two hot chocolates and my wand in my arms as I set off up the stairs to the Astronomy tower.

Katie's P.O.V

I was sat on a window seat at the top of the astronomy tower when she found me. I didn't even bother to look behind me when I heard her approaching, I recognized the sound of Sara's feet padding softly towards me.

"Kate?" She asked apprehensively.

"Hey, don't worry I just came for some fresh air." I said continuing to stare out the window.

"I got you hot chocolate…" Sara said, ignoring my blatant lie. She pushed it into my cold hands and I sighed as the warm steam wafted under my nose. She wiped away a tear that had been sliding down the side of my face, settling down opposite me on the window seat. We sat in silence for a while, sipping hot chocolate and comforting each other in that reserved, guarded way Slytherins often do.

"What's wrong then?" She finally said. I wanted to laugh and cry all at once, what's wrong? It was more a question of what's _right_? I had no idea what to say to her. Sara sat their big innocent eyes wide with concern, legs crossed clutching her mug just a little too hard. Sara understood me better then anyone, but she wasn't from an old pureblood line, she could never fully realize the _pressure,_ how much we have to give up in order to keep the bloodline 'pure'.

"I-I got a letter from my mum about a week ago." I finally whispered. Sara's face immediately paled.

"Why didn't you _tell _me?" She asked.

"I didn't know how. I just…I wanted to pretend…for a little while that…oh god, Sara this _can't be happening! _Not yet, I'm not ready…" My shoulders shook and I sobbed despite myself. She rubbed my arm, looking aghast.

"What? What's happened?" She asked, worried.

"I'm…Sara, I think I'm -I'm getting married…"

Sara's P.O.V

It took a while to sink in. At first I just gaped at her, my brain unable to comprehend the information given.

"What? When? To _who?"_ I said in a panicked tone. She slumped her head back onto the wall shutting her eyes tiredly, feeling the moonlight on her face. I suddenly realized that my best friend was truly beautiful, even now. When I cried I was a red-faced bawling wreck, but Kate just looked serine, fragile. The moonlight reflected off the glittering tears that clung to her thick black eyelashes, her face looked gaunt and yet striking, framed with her wavy black locks as she curled up into herself, making herself seem as small and vulnerable as possible. I'd never seen her lose control like this and it unsettled me.

"My Aunt Agatha's son is going to inherit a French vineyard, m-my mother has _kindly_ informed me I'm to marry him over the summer, unless I become engaged to someone with better prospects before then."

"Oh my god! But… But he's like, what, your _cousin_?" I said, rattled.

"Second cousin…" She corrected monotonously, like it was rehearsed. Here, I have a picture…Meet Paul Moreau." I stared at the unfortunate-looking awkward teen in the photograph, with no idea what to say.

"He looks…well…he looks _nice…" _I tried. She gave that empty sound that should have been a laugh.

"Doesn't he though?"

"But if you marry him, you'll live in France…?"

"Yes." She whispered.

"And what about coming back for seventh year?" I said trying to mask my rising panic.

"I'll be married, no need to get qualifications is there? I'll have fucking_ Paul_ to care for me, wont I?" My heart sank.

"So I wont see you again." She opened her eyes and stared at me looking miserable, resigned.

"M…Maybe you could come and…and visit me occasionally?" Her voice trembled, and she looked so vulnerable I couldn't stop myself bursting into tears.

"Yeah…Yeah, I think I could stomach that." I said between sniffles and we both began to chuckle almost hysterically.

"I'm…oh god, I'm so sorry Katie, I don't know what to do." She laughed wretchedly.

"I was sort of hoping you'd have an amazing plan to solve everything. You were always cleverer than me." I sighed.

"Hey, maybe you'll fall in love with a sexy millionaire before the summer…how's that for a plan?" I joked. She hugged me tight.

"Yeah, course, there must be at least _one_ non-violent pureblood in this bloody school…" She muttered bitterly into my shoulder. "If worse comes to worse, we could always bully Sev into marrying me." I laughed sadly.

"See, were already getting somewhere on the plan front! Now, I don't know about you, but I'm going sneak back to the common room before Filches bloody cat sniffs me out again."

**I am truly, honestly sorry for that. More Jily action next chapter (not to mention James actually making the effort to be _sexy_)**


	8. Chapter8 What Did He Do That I Got Wrong

**Lily Chapter! These are so fun to write:) Sorry it's so short:(Anyhow I love some feedback in the ****reviews, I know its a pain but i would be so grateful as i really want to improve my writing **

**disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, Regulus Black would be alive and well. **

Chapter 8

Fancy a trip to Hogsmead?

Lily's P.O.V

Potter flung himself onto the bench beside me, cramming a piece of toast into his mouth in record time. He tried to snake an arm around my waist, copying Frank and Alice across the table and I pushed it away forcefully.

"Having a nice morning, Evans?" He asked conversationally.

"It might have been before you turned up Potter." I sighed, pouring myself _another_ cup of tea.

"I think you secretly enjoy our little arguments and that all this supposed hatred is in fact extreme sexual tension and that at some point you wont be able to take it anymore and will jump me in the middle of one of our public shout offs." He said off hand, piling his plate with bacon and fried egg. I stared him for a long moment.

"Hmm…No, nope. I don't think so. Sorry Potter." I shrugged cruelly, pretending to consider it. Frank glanced up at us out of the corner of his eye suspiciously.

"So, anyhow Evans, I was thinking-"

"-No." I cut in, bored.

"I haven't said it yet!" He exclaimed indignantly.

"You were asking me to go to Hogsmead, and the answers no." I pointed out. He laughed his annoyingly infectious booming laugh.

"That's very self-assured of you Evans, darling." Huffing I turned to face him. I pulled away marginally embarrassed; he was closer than I anticipated. I noticed his unruly hair was damp, making it stick up at slightly less alarming angles than usual, his glasses still had the tape around the middle and overall he looked surprisingly more charming than my usual mental image of him. I shook myself slightly, what was _that?_

"What _were_ you going to say then, Potter?" I snapped. He lent worryingly close, tucking my deep red hair behind my ear and whispering into it cheekily.

"Well, as it happens I _was_ going to ask you to join me on the Hogsmead trip this weekend so I guess your right as always Evans…Maybe you'd consider allowing your previous answer to be wrong, just this once…?" I gulped, shocked. What? What? Since when did James Potter act all alluring and sexy? -Not that he is succeeding in being alluring or sexy in the slightest! I shoved him in the chest, hard.

"_No! No, Potter! Forever and Always, NO!"_ He shrugged and shoved a wad of bacon in his mouth…Aaaand he's back. For a moment there it had been almost like I was…(urgh dare I say it?) _attracted_ to Potter! Which is simply ridiculous…

"Hi, Lily!" I spun round at the sound of Lector Scott's voice; stubbornly ignoring the pleasant tingling where Potters stupid callused quiddich hands had brushed my face.

"Uh, hey Lector." I said, confused.

"I was just wondering, you know since your such a wiz at potions, if you could study with me tomorrow I've got this this essay, it's due on Monday and I'm a bit sort of stuck…?" My brain took a while to process what he was asking. He read my hesitance as reluctance and smiled compassionately.

"It's fine if you don't want to, I'm sure you don't want to waste your hogsmead trip on a boring old essay. Never mind, I'll see you at Slugs I guess…?" He shot me his adorable grin. Ohh, he really was _rather_ cute wasn't he?

"Wait, I'd love to help out, Lector." I said as he turned away. His face lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Really? Thank you so much! Shall we meet up in The Three Broomsticks then? Maybe after we could go round the village afterwards or something?" He asked tentatively.

"Sounds great, see you then," I felt a warm glow in my chest as he took a step back, everything was completely perfect in that one moment.

"Alright Potter?" Lector nodded at the boy next to me looking mildly concerned. I turned to see Potter was Scowling at me disbelievingly, Lectors voice seemed to snap him out of it and he turned to glare daggers at the back of his blond head. He scowled at me immediately,

"What did _he _do that I got wrong?" He cried, voice dripping with Jealousy.

"Nothing, Potter it's just, he, unlike you, has a smidge of maturity and humanity. Lovely morning, eh Black?" Sirius had appeared from where he'd been sat ten seats down the table.

"Padfoot?" James growled still glaring at the good-looking Hufflepuff.

"What's up mate?"

"Fancy going to discipline old Snivilly? I feel we've been neglecting him." Sirius grinned.

"Now your making sense, and look, Lay and Johnson are with him, what an absolute treat…" I watched as they stalked off after the little gang of Slytherins who'd been exiting the hall.

**Potters jealous! And Lily is having traitorous thoughts...;P and what about this Lector bloke...? **


	9. Chapter 9So, This Is, What, A Prank War?

**I didn't upload a chapter yesterday because my fanfic account sort of died a tiny bit:/ If people could please ****review that would be great because I kind of want at least the same amount of reviews as chapters which i know is stupid as this story sucks but...Pleaseeeee with Sprinkles and the arm off a Victor Crum figurine?**

**Disclaimer: If i owned Harry Potter there would be a whole book devoted to the marauders era. But there isn't:'(**

Chapter 9

So, this is, what, a Prank war?

Katie's P.O.V

Sara and I had recovered swiftly from last night's escapades, and apart from a couple of severe migraines and a slight pasty demeanor we where no worse for wear. I was still reeling from the relief of having _told_ someone. I still didn't know what to do about it, but one thing was for sure; there was NO WAY I was marrying Second Cousin Paul the Foolish.

We were all heading for the library, Sev Sara and I, when it happened. We'd been casually slouching along when Sev suddenly hit the floor, body locked in place by a full-body-bind curse. Sara's books went flying and the strap on my bag snapped, inkbottles and quills raining down on the mess. We both dove down and glanced up to see Potter, Black and Pettigrew walking towards us. I watched, astonished as Black glanced appreciatively up Sara's skirt while Potter cast a spell causing Sev to be discarded up against the wall like some sort of twisted Egyptian Mummy. Poor bloke.

"We know it was you." Potter snarled.

"Aww, had a bad morning Potty, darling?" I cooed scornfully. He glared at me, gripping his wand harder.

"In any case, you've got no proof it was us." Sara pointed out, eyes darting guiltily to Sev's unmoving form.

"Right? So, who was it then, Lay? In fact, why don't we go see what Dumbledore thinks about it?" Potter snapped.

"You know, we recon Dumbledore secretly found it exceedingly humorous… Besides, it would be a shame to let us win like that wouldn't it?" I teased, pouting slightly. Peter looked like he was going to faint whereas Potter pulled an unimpressed face. Honestly, you'd think that boy was a-sexual, if it weren't for Lily Evans. Perhaps he's E-sexual? Yeah, bad joke…

"What do you mean _you_ win?" Sirius said, taking the bait. Sara jumped in,

"Well, were clearly better at pranking than you lot… and there are only three of us…"

"_Better at pranking?" _Sirius asked incredulously "You think your better than us?! How was your stupid prank better than _ours_?"

"Well, for a start it was hilarious… You do make _quite_ a vision in white…" Sara teased.

"Oh ha ha, we can best that stupid prank with our _eyes closed. _You guys haven't seen anything yet!" Sara stepped closer to him, and it occurred to me this wasn't the first time they had fought like this. There was something different about it. It was almost…playful.

"Maybe you should prove it then instead of crawling back to Dumbledore?" She said with a fake dollop of sweetness.

"Fine then, be ready for that, Lay!" He replied in a slight joking tone.

"Great. Looking forward to it." Potter was looking at Black with a furrowed brow, so he'd noticed it too…

"We wont disappoint..." He promised.

"So, this is, what, a prank war?" She asked cheekily.

"You could say that…" He said quietly standing _way _too close.

"Oh, good." Then, so suddenly I almost missed it, Sarz pointed her wand at Sev and performed the counter-curse, she stunned Potter and Severus and I took care of the other two.

"You had us fooled for a second there." Sev pointed out, putting his wand away.

"What ever do you mean?" She responded innocently, wiping off her skirt.

"You were being all…bantery…with the enemy!" She laughed.

**"**Was not!"

"Uh, yes. Yes, you were," I pointed out stepping over Peter's unconscious form.

"I hate them! You know I hate Black! Lily hates Potter and no-one tells _her_ off for being witty one in a while!" She huffed, scooping my bag of the floor.

"You don't hate Sirius the way Evans hates Potter," She raised an eyebrow at me skeptically "You hate him the same way Potter hates Evans."

"But Potter _doesn't_ hate her." She said confused.

"My point exactly." She glared at me, unimpressed.

"I do NOT fancy Sirius Black!"

"Well, you did say he had a nice arse…" I pointed out.

"Yeah, and so did YOU!" Sev looked between us bemused.

"They can still hear you, you guys know that right?" I laughed as Sara turned to a frozen Black and said loudly in his ear,

"I would rather dance around the great hall in my knickers than go within 5 feet of you!" She turned to me, "Satisfied?" I sighed.

"Lets just go…"

"Wait!" Sara pulled a muggle felt-tip out of her bag and descended on Blacks face, tongue sticking out of the side of his mouth. Sirius's eyes widened as she wrote across his freckle-less nose: **PLAYER.****  
**

"Bring it on boys." I said between giggles as we sprinted off down the corridor.

Lily's P.O.V

"What did you do to them?" I demanded immediately as Potter stepped through the portrait hole.

"Nothing." He grunted moodily. Was he seriously _still_ upset about me going to Hogsmead with Lector? Just because a cute boy notices me! I mean its not like Lectors any bit less attractive than Potter! If anything he's _sexier_! …In a blond, pretty boy sort of way that some people admire…

"Yeah right, I know there not my friends anymore but you would think you'd have grown out of being such an idiotic bully by now wouldn't you?" I snapped as Peter and Sirius walked in. Sirius had his head bent oddly low and kept sort of…_yanking…_ his hair down over his face.

"No_, really. _Nothing happened, because Sirius was too busy FRATENIZING with the ENEMEY!" Potter fumed.

"What?" I turned to Sirius.

"Was not…" He muttered like a petulant child.

"Were too Sirius!" Peter enthused, glancing at James to check his approval.

"I was just arguing with her…"

"Why didn't we just hex them at the start and then YOU wouldn't have gotten in our way!" Potter hissed bitterly.

"Look, I'm sorry ok! I'm pretty sure by this point I've learned my lesson, so just let it be alright!" Sirius burst out, clearly embarrassed. As he did so I caught sight of his face and dissolved into giggles. The word 'player' was scrawled across his cheeks in block writing, apparently in permanent ink. He glowered at me, just making it all the more amusing.

"Oh...Oh my god!" I sniggered clutching my ribs.

"Shut up Evans…"

"How…?" I gasped out finally.

"Sara Lay." He muttered. "And trust me, I definitely hate her! I'm sorry ok! But if you'd all shut up for two minutes I'd tell you I can make it up to you!" Potter immediately perked up slightly and they all moved away from me, though not far enough so I couldn't hear them "I've got an idea for the next prank… actually it was dear little Sara who inspired me…" They walked beyond my earshot, presumably over to where Remus was studying. Just as I was about to head to the library Potter shouted over his shoulder,

"BTW Looking sexy there Evans!" Oh dear god….

**Anyone notice the Ronald Quote? Got to love him, he was my favourite character in the books, which is funny cos I end up hating him in most Fanfics**


	10. Chapter 10 Detention With A P L A Y E R

**Ten whole Chapters! I may be uploading less frequently because I'm now having to write and edit each chapter from scratch before uploading it but I'll try and still write up about a chapter daily. Anyway I'll say again that the more people review the more motivation I will have to keep writing faster! I'd like to thank cup'o'tea, nandini.b31592 and tartpixie for following this story. So, about this Chapter. Lily is going to be going off on a bit of a long-term veer into Lector-land but ultimately this is a Jily story so please all hang on in there. Also, sorry in advance for my AWFULL Hagrid impression:)**

**Disclaimer: If Harry Potter was mine I would have saved Dobby:( **

Chapter 10

Detention With A PLAYER

Sara's P.O.V

Katie sighed as I waved her off on her way to Hogsmead with Sev,

"Can't you just skive off?!" I raised an eyebrow at her.

"Um, yeah, it's Professor _McGonagall_ we're talking about…" Sev waved merrily back at me as she huffed and began dragging him down the path to Hogsmead. I sighed and headed for the Slytherin common room, head down thinking of ways I could kill the next hour before my detention.

Suddenly I banged into someone, sending me nearly toppling backwards.

"Lily?" I said on instinct then wished I could take it back. I hadn't spoken to her since last year. She looked as surprised as I was. There was something different about her than usual, her fringe was pined up in swirly patterns at the sides of her head, she was wearing a pretty woolen scarf which with a jolt I realized Sev had got her and she was wearing a slightly excessive amount of eyeliner. She was dressing up for someone…

"Sara… Sorry, that was my fault, uh." She blushed red as her hair. Maybe this was it, maybe this was the moment we would forgive each other and everything would be the same as before.

"It's ok, I had other stuff on my mind too." I sighed. We stood awkwardly opposite each other for a moment.

"You've got a date then?" I asked in a friendly tone. She laughed.

"Well, sort of…I mean, I think I like him. It's just studying though." I grinned.

"It's always just studying with you Lily. So, who's the guy? Anyone I'd know?"

"Um, Lector Scott? You know from Slugs…?" My eyes widened.

"Ouch, bet Potter's happy!" I paused smiling at her immediate sour expression, "He's quite fit though and a really nice bloke isn't he?" She smiled gratefully and nodded.

"Well, it was…It was_ nice_ speaking to you actually Sarz." I smiled sadly.

"Same, well I'm off to detention in half an hour anyway. So see you." She stood there with a tortured expression as I stepped past her.

"Sara, wait!" I turned round.

"Be…Be careful ok? Whatever game your playing with the marauders there planning something…big…so, so just keep your guard up, ok?" She looked honestly worried for me so I just nodded soundlessly.

"Good luck with Lector." She turned and hurried of down the corridor, now late for her date. Well, that was odd.

Lily's P.O.V

I entered the warmth of the Three Broomsticks about ten minutes late, so Lector was already waiting for me. He'd settled in a little alcove furthest from the bar and stood up immediately to greet me. He looked sort of _nice_ in muggle cloths.

"Hey, you look gorgeous today by the way, I like the hair…" He grinned that cute dimpled smile of his.

"You look…cool…too…" I stuttered as he ducked down and kissed me on the cheek. I suddenly sensed this Study date was going to be more 'Date' than 'Study'. I was surprised to find I really didn't mind. He ordered me a ButterBeer and we settled down, pouring over his essay. It didn't take very long and we quickly ordered more drinks and simply chatted for a while, about anything, everything, we argued over the existence of 'nargles' we had a brief amusing conversation about Quiddich. Lector was the kind of person who put people at ease simply with his presence.

"It's snowing…" I whispered awed as snowflakes drifted down to the ground outside the window.

"You like Christmas don't you?" He observed.

"It's my favorite holiday usually, only this year it might be a bit crap…" I muttered sadly.

"How come?" He asked.

"Oh, well I go home most years but this year my sisters marrying some idiotic walrus so I had to stay in school so as not to ruin the wedding with my 'magic tricks'. And well what with Potter and his lot I figure this Christmas is really going to suck." He gently touched my hand and I turned to look at him. He was only about an inch taller than me sat down so I could look into his blue eyes as he spoke,

"Your brother in law must be pretty bad."

"Yeah, and my sister…" I mumbled.

"Well, this could still be a great Christmas Lily…" A pleasant warm settled in my chest; he called me Lily. Not lily-flower or Evans, just plain Lily. Maybe that was why I didn't stop him lifting my chin and brushing his lips over mine. It wasn't my first kiss but I reflected as he let the kiss linger that it was probably one of the nicest. When he pulled away I smiled warmly at him,

"I guess it might be alright…"

Sara's P.O.V

"Get rid of it!" Black yelled. We were helping Hagrid with his turkeys and had been left alone while he went to make tea. Hagrid was pretty useless with punishments, too much of a sweetheart really.

"NO! It serves you right! I'll get rid of it when I feel like it!" It seemed Black had discovered the ink had a special version of a semi-permanent sticking charm on it, meaning I alone held the power to get rid of the word tattooed across his nose.

"Lay, you WILL regret this!" He shouted at me wafting a dustpan full of turkey droppings dangerously.

"Yeah, we know, you'll throw me in the lake again. Big whoop!" I said sarcastically.

"Stop messing around and get rid of it!"

"It serves you right! And none of your little fans seem to care do they?!" Black had spent the past day strutting around school like a rooster leaving a little path of swooning teenage girls in his wake. Honestly, only Black could pull off having the word player tattooed on his face and actually getting _more_ girls for it!

"I swear Lay, you will regret this! Listen to me now or by tomorrow night you'll be begging for forgiveness!" He threatened. I sighed, that's what _he _thought.

"I wont be begging ANYONE Black!" His face twisted into a furious expression and next thing I knew I had Turkey shit all over the front of my robes.

"Oh-OKAY. THAT. IS. IT!" I picked up a handful of shit and threw it at him. He chucked one back and next thing we were rolling around in the mud trying to rip holes in each other. I managed somehow to get ontop of him and was about to punch him in his stupid nasty perfect nose when suddenly I was lifted into the air by the scruff of my robes. Hagrid towered over us both holding each of us airborne with one hand. I bared my teeth still snarling at Black like an animal.

"Stop!" Hagrid growled. And while Hagrid was a gentle man, when someone with hands the size of bin lids tells you to stop in that tone. You fucking stop. "Sirius, get back to Gryffindor tower now! I'll speak to yeh' later." Black nodded meekly and began scuttling back to the school. Dick. "As fer' you. Stay 'ere 'till he's back in the castle, then go. I've got me eyes on yeh' and Professor McGonagall will be 'earing bout this." Oh god. I'm so dead.

**Bit of a SPOILER ALERT! Do not read if you don't want spoilers!**

**Next chapter there may be more pranking action...not to mention lip action... **

**:D Why do i feel so proud about ruining the ****surprise?**


	11. Getting Within 5 Feet Of Sirius Black

**(authors note) So I worked long and hard into the night to write this (reasonably long!)chapter for you guys, so I hope some unnamed person out there appreciates my efforts****;P Thanks to Flyleaf Lover 13 for following this little story! Hope you all find the ****prank mildly amusing and like the romance in this chapter...  
**

**Disclaimer: If i owned Harry Potter he would have shaken hands with Draco Malfoy on that train..alas...**

**Reviews = cyber hugs!**

Chapter 11

Getting Within 5 Feet Of Sirius Black

Katie's P.O.V

Sara woke me up the next morning by shaking my shoulders, hard. The other girls slowly rolled out of bed, apart from Yaxley who had already gone to breakfast. Her eyes were white rimmed with panic so I immediately sat up, deadly serious.

"I can't get dressed!" She hissed. I looked her up and down. She was wearing a pale pink bra and knickers, even though she'd fallen asleep in a nightgown.

"What do you mean?" I asked loudly. The other girls turned to us suspiciously and Sara shushed me immediately.

"I can't put my clothes on!" She watched as my expression stayed confused. "I tried to get changed and whenever I went to grab something it jumped to the other side of the room." She elaborated.

"Your clothes… jumped... to the other side of the room?" I asked carefully, worried about her sanity. " Yes, look, come here!" She dragged me out of bed and gasped. I looked down and my stomach sank. I'd gone to bed dressed in a dark blue nightie; I was now in my lacy black undies. We looked at each other and then both rushed to our trunks at the same time, my hand hadn't even touched a pair of skinny-jeans before it they leaped out of the trunk and landed about a meter off. Soon clothes were scattered around the room and Parkinson was yelling at us for making a mess.

"What are you doing throwing clothes around?" She yelled. "And will you hurry up and dress yourselves for goodness sake!"

"We can't!" I shouted back as a shirt just slipped out of my grasp and hurdled over her dresser, spilling lipsticks and bottles of foundation everywhere.

"Oh my god! What the hell Katie? Do you have any idea how expensive those are?" She screamed shrilly.

"I'm sure daddy can get you some new ones," I bit nastily.

"What do we do?" Sara panicked.

" I don't know!" I shouted back, the air was now thick with soaring garments.

"Oh god this is all my fault!" She cried.

"What?" Bella immediately pounced, tone dangerous.

"I wouldn't get rid of that stupid thing on Blacks face and I challenged the Mmarauders to prank us! He practically TOLD me this would happen!" Diana suddenly held up a post-it note.

"Sara? This was on your pillow…" She said slowly reading it with her head cocked to one side. We both snatched it out of her grip and read it in a flash.

_**Sara, you'd rather dance around the Great Hall in your knickers than get within five feet of Sirius? – Well, have fun finding him! Sincerely, the Marauders.**_

"What does that mean?" Diana asked looking at our stricken expressions.

"It- it means I have to go and find Black…Like _this_!" Sara shrieked.

"Sara? What have they done?" Sev's voice called alarmed from the common room,

"Oh god." I swore under my breath and then grabbed her under the armpits and dragged her down the stairs, kicking and screaming, the other two girls hurried down the stairs after us. Sev was stood awkwardly at the bottom of the stairs in just a pair of dark green boxers. His taste in underwear wasn't the only thing that had apparently improved since fifth year; his once spidery-esc lanky form was now exceptionally lean, if pale. Diana stopped in her tracks causing Bella to knock into her from behind and begin a long string of angry insults.

"It's the Mmarauders!" I said quickly ignoring the shocked stares and wolf-whistles the rest of Slytherin house were sending us. I threw him the post-it note and turned Sara to face me. She was so red she looked like she might pass out.

"You've got to go find him." I told her clearly. She shook her head, apparently terrified.

"No, I can't! The whole school will see me!" Sev joined me.

"Please, Sara?" He begged. "I can't deal with this ok? Please, you have to do this. You find Black and the whole prank's over!"

"Nice tits Johnson!" Avery shouted and I flipped him the finger. This seemed to strengthen her resolve and she gulped.

"Ok. I'll go." We hugged her immediately and walked her to the portrait hole.

"Oh goddddd…" She wailed as we gave her a little shove out of the door and turned to face our laughing peers. I felt bad for pushing her to do this but the faster we got our clothes back the better…

Sara's P.O.V

The portrait hole shut behind me and my heart sunk sank into my shoes. If I'd been able to wear any, that is. I glanced down the corridor, a couple of first years were lingering about 20 meters away but they hadn't spotted me yet. I broke into a run, speeding down the corridor faster than I knew I could. Fast enough that the faces of the people who stared as I streaked past were simply a blur.

I was on the second floor, jogging down a small corridor in hopes of going unseen. I could see the Grand Staircase up ahead and swallowed, this was it; this was the moment I would have to enter the Great Hall in front of all those people. I can't even _imagine_ what McGonagall's going to do to me this time! Just as I came out onto the main corridor I banged into someone, falling backwards.

"_SARA?"_ Lily's voice said from above me. I looked up to see her and Lector Scott looming over me.

"Oh, for fuck's sake!" I muttered, wishing I could just implode right there. Lector blinked down at my semi-nudity and the offered me a hand, red faced and embarrassed glancing at Lily, clearly embarrassed. I took it and stood up.

"What happened?" Lily asked.

"They've put some sort of curse on me so my clothes _literally_ run away and I have to find Sirius so he can stop it!"

"Black did this?" Lectors asked looking suddenly thunderous, which, believe me, is a scary look on a Hufflepuff.

"Have you seen him?" I shot at Lily ignoring the fact Lily's new boyfriend apparently had just as much of a hero complex as Potter did.

"Uh, he _said_ he was going to the Hall but last I saw of him he was heading down to the Quiddich pitch… Wait-" I ran past her and slammed open the window, snowflakes fluttered inside as I lent out craning my neck to see the Pitch, I could just about make out a tiny figure flying around. I stalked back towards the stairs.

"Wait! You're not ACTUALLY going to go out there in your underwear?! It's like minus four or something stupid!" Lily said hurrying to keep up with me.

"Lay! I'll go for you, come back!" Lector added. I turned briefly,

"Are you two dating now?" I asked them. They blushed more or less in unison and nodded. I turned around and dashed down the staircase. Somebody wolf whistled and I picked up the pace. "Congratulations!" I yelled over my shoulder and pushed open the main doors, feeling the stinging cold on my bare skin.

"SIRIUS ORION BLACK!" I yelled as I stalked onto the pitch, my feet were red and blistered from the snow and I felt chilled to the bone. Beyond that, I felt like I was going to explode into flames, I was so furious. The person on the broom spun round to see me and began to dive closer.

"Yes Sara dearest?" He shouted down to me. I felt angry tears prick up in my eyes as he hovered tantalizingly close.

"Come here!" I shouted,

"Nope, sorry. Not until you get this stupid thing off my face!"

"This isn't a joke Black! I could get frostbite! I could DIE!" I hollered up to him angrily.

"That's where you're wrong, once the curse lifts any damage made by lack of insulation will be automatically healed, clever huh? As for the joke part, you're right. This isn't a joke. So restore my face to its former beauty and we can all go home!" He said in an almost teasing tone.

"Don't you dare make a joke out of this you absolute fuckwit! Get here now or I'll… I'll come and get you!" I cursed up at him.

"Oh, you'll come and get me? How are you going to do that?" He said innocently. I was getting colder from standing on the spot. Finally, due to complete desperation, I gave up.

"Fine, I'll fix your stupid face you idiotic…. argh!" I failed to conjure up words strong enough to cover it. Thanking my lucky stars I was good at wandless magic and performed the counter curse. He grinned suddenly from above me,

"Thanks Lay!" He suddenly darted off across the pitch

"Oi! Come back! We had a deal!" Horror sank into my stomach and as he disappeared behind the stands I finally burst into tears. "I hate you! I HATE YOU! I-… Please…? Please help me!" I shouted. He appeared again, this time from behind me, stopping about 7 feet away. Just a couple feet more and…

"What did you just say?"

"Please! I'm _begging_ you Black!" He looked down at me for what seemed an age, huddled in the snow in just my underwear bawling my eyes out.

"Of cause, I just went to get a blanket," He held up a red and gold woolen blanket slowly. Before I had time to comprehend what he was saying he flew down to me and I felt him wrap the blanket around my shoulders, burrowing his fingers in my dark wavy hair and capturing my mouth with his. I wrapped my arms around his neck and stood on tiptoes, feeling his warm hands against my bare waist as the snow spiraled around us and my head spun. I felt a glow of sudden warmth over my whole body as the spell undid itself. We kissed fervently until he gradually pulled away. As the perfection of that moment fizzled away in the cold my brain suddenly caught up with my mouth; I. Just. Let. Black. Snog. Me. WHAT WAS WRONG WITH ME?

** (authors note) Ooh cliffhanger! ****reviews give me motivation (which I'll need if I'm gonna write up a whole chapter by tomorrow with the amount of homework i have:/)**


	12. Chapter 12 The Changing Rooms

**So, I'm incredibly unhappy with this chapter, but I felt guilty for not writing anything yesterday so I choose to just put this one up:/ I really want Lily to end up with James soon *sad face* perhaps Lector could be violently bludgeoned to death...jokes.**

**Thank you SO MUCH for all the ****reviews, they've come just as I was almost giving up on this little story. So a million thank you's to tartpixie, madame, ginnytheginger, Kaylzzie and also to GbyLawson and ViolettaPotterMalfoy for the favs:)**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter then Remus and Tonks would never have died. Ever. **

The Changing Room.

Sara's P.O.V

I stepped out of the girl's showers toweling my wet hair, wearing a pair of jeans two sizes big (I suspected Parkinson) and one of Katie's long-sleeved bottle-green tops. One of the socks, however, I was pleased to see was in fact mine. Black was waiting timidly on the bench for me, which was a rather troubling sight. How? _How and WHY_ did I allow that idiot to kiss me?! Urgh, the very thought made my stomach heave…a tiny little voice whispered in my ear 'well, it wasn't exactly heaving at the time was it? If you remember correctly Sara, it was in fact seemingly doing triple backflips…' Why does the voice in my head sound like Katie?

"Just go, Black. Thank you for Accioing my cloths for me, now scarper." I said without looking at him.

"Lay-" He stood up, taking a step closer.

"Black, there is nothing you can possibly say that will interest me right now."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for pranking you and giving you frostbite and making you run around school in your knickers." I waited, unimpressed for the final, not to mention most obvious, addition to his list.

"And…?" _I'm sorry for kissing you._

"And what?" He asked innocently.

"Well?" _I am sorry for kissing you, Sara._

"Well, What?" He said.

"There is nothing else you're sorry about, Black?" like, I don't know, KISSING ME?

"Like what? I can't think of anything else." Ok, he was defiantly bullshitting me.

"Hmm, like maybe, apologizing for snogging me?" I yelled out finally. He looked me right in the eye and took another step _too close_.

"But that would be lying." Uh, what? He read my expression perfectly, and pouted teasingly. "Well, I'm _not_ sorry for kissing you." I glared at him.

"Why not?" I snapped.

"Well, it was surprisingly pleasant, if you must know." He baited.

"Black…" I growled.

"Plus, Lay, underneath that frumpy uniform, your kind of hot." He explained making me seriously consider slapping him for being such a twisted perverted freak _right then_.

"Piss off you absolute pervert. I hate you and I want an apology right now." I somehow managed to shove the Gryffindor beater so he nearly fell backwards.

"Wow, easy tiger…" Oh my god, what a complete twat. "Look, it's no big deal!"

"No. Big. Deal?" I spelled out warningly. He made a calming motion and smiled at me.

"I feel like there are two ways of looking at this: one way, is that you snogged your worst enemy, your mates will kill you and you will forever more remember it as the most awkward shameful thing that has ever happened to you." He explained. "But there is _another_ way to look at our situation-"

"What? That you're a sleazy rapist who makes girls run around in sub-zero temperatures in there underpants?" I cut in scathingly.

"Well, no actually. The OTHER way of look at it is that, to put it plainly: Were both young, hormone-ridden teenagers who happen to enjoy kissing each other in there spare time." I stared at him.

"That is quite literally the sleaziest, most ridiculous thing I have EVER heard." I snapped. So, how come bloody Sirius Black made it seem like a good idea? Not that I thought it was a rational idea in the slightest."Plus I hate your guts."

"And I hate yours Sara dear, but I kiss people I hate the guts of all the time, provided there hot." He said, really grinning now, leaning back against the wall smirking that ludicrously attractive Black smirk of his.

"Did you just admit to being a man-whore?" I sighed tiredly.

"Thank you for those sweet words Sara. As I was saying, kissing you was just about the hottest thing since that time I was in the broom shed with Annabelle Greengrass in 5th year…" Ew.

"TMI Black… And that was not what you where saying."

"Oh, perhaps I was just thinking that? Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that whatever that thing in the pitch was, it doesn't have to mean anything, but I figure I wouldn't mind if it happened again…" He was now worryingly close once again and I wanted to punch him so hard his grandchildren would have crooked noses. Partially because he was somehow managing to sell the most ridiculous argument of all time to me.

"You're an idiot, and I don't fancy you or even think you're a nice person ok? Your selfish and cruel and immature and you treat women like shit."

"So, you don't want to kiss me right now?"

"What? NO! Why would you think that?" I growled, red faced.

"Because you've been staring at my mouth for the past 15 minutes?" Oh god. Uhh…

"Whatever Black, for all you know you could have toothpaste round i-" Somehow he ended up kissing me again and I swear I had _every intention_ of kicking him right in the balls… But then he did this _thing_ with his tongue and I really couldn't help myself. Because no matter how much I did not like Sirius Black, I couldn't help but _like_ him… Finally I gathered my wits and pushed him away angrily, ignoring his silly smug expression.

"Black. _This_-" I waved a hand between us "-whatever _this _is. I promise you it's pure physical attraction, nothing more, nothing less." I snapped, panting slightly. "And if I allow _this_ to happen, you cannot tell ANYONE. EVER. Until your old and grey and can't even remember my name. Ok?" He pulled a face,

"Do I look crazy to you? James would castrate me."

"Good on him. So we have a deal?"

"Yep." He agreed running his hand through his hair in a move worryingly reminiscent of James Potter.

"Well, goodbye then, Black. I'll see you…next time I see you." What did I just sign myself up for?

Lily's P.O.V

It was exactly 19 days until Christmas and clumps of mistletoe were beginning to pop up all over the school, trapping the odd unfortunate couple until (sometimes after several missed lessons of protest) they finally locked lips. Some clumps of mistletoe (I suspected the Marauders) even shouted encouragement or insults at people (I'd past one which had ensnared two third years and was shouting things like 'you look like your kissing your Grandma!' or 'that was barley a peck! Grow some backbone, for gods sake, he's a nice enough looking chap!') while they endured the discomfort of kissing one another. I was sat in the library when Potter sat on the chair next to me.

"I'm not speaking to you after what you did to Sara." I muttered, glancing at Madam Prince.

"Why do you care? She's a Slytherin, plus I thought you hated each other?" He said just a bit too loudly, but it was enough to receive about twenty hisses from around the room.

"I've never _hated_ her Potter and besides were actually getting quite friendly again…" I sighed at his horrified expression at the thought of befriending a Slytherin.

"Well, anyhow. I was just wondering if you could help me study?" He asked in a strange rehearsed tone.

"What?"

"Can you help me with my potions essay, please, seeing as I'm crap at it?" He spelled out patiently.

"You, James Potter, want me, Lily Evans, to _'help'_ with your potions essay?" I asked, surprised.

"Yes, and I was thinking afterward I could show you a tour of the castle and we could go steal shortbread from the kitchens and then…" I was slightly shocked by the thought that it sounded like _fun._ It suddenly occurred to me, that if anyone else was asking I would have said yes, well if that person was Lector…. Wait, Lector!

"I know why you're doing this," I sighed rolling my eyes. "Your copying Lector aren't you?"

"No!" There was a pregnant silence "Well, _yeah,_ but it worked for him so I figured it was worth a try." He huffed fiddling with a ruler. I knew I was going to regret my next words,

"Listen Potter, you can't just go around asking me out anymore." I told him sadly,

"Why?" He asked wide-eyed, bending the ruler at such a worrying angle the middle began to turn white with the strain.

"Because I'm going out with Lector, ok?" I exhaled, shutting my eyes to avoid his expression.

"YOUR DATING _LECTOR SCOTT?" _He yelped. The ruler snapped clean in half and Madam Prince began storming over.

"Yes, Potter, you better run before you get detention…" I said, giving him a little shove towards the doors. I watched him stop running at the end of the corridor, slamming his fist into the wall with a frustrated snarl. Guilt filled me and I felt a pang of regret somewhere in the general area of my heart. What was wrong with me lately? I had a sweet boyfriend, and Potter wouldn't be bullying me anymore, it was like killing two birds with one stone. So why did I feel so crap about it lately?

**sorry...**


	13. Odd Looks and Introductions

**Hello, please don't you all kill me:( I know I've been ****silent since wednesday but I hit a serious bit of writers block, and what with homework and my new school I haven't had much time to deal with it (I procrastinate a ridiculous amount -but then doesn't everyone?). Big thank you once again to ginnytheginger for the lovely review and also to darkfur663, nothingevergoesasplanned and lunita- depp for following and favs. So next chapter, felt myself warming up to Lector a bit so here it is:**

**disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter then Draco Malfoy would be the good guy...Yeah, Im not JK...**

Chapter 13

Odd Looks and Introductions

Lily's P.O.V

Lector held my hand as we walked towards the lake, the sunset was making the crisp snow glow orange and the black branches stand out against the red fading light. The lake was finally freezing over and we settled on the small stony beach where the snow hadn't settled.

"So, are you really winning the Quiddich cup this year?" I teased slightly.

"Well, were really hoping so, I worked really hard to get a really impressive line up of players and it's looking good." He said modestly, which meant yes from him.

"No wonder Potter hates you…" I laughed. He pulled my hand into his lap and swirled his thumb on my palm, as if he was trying to read my future. It felt pleasant and I sighed and buried my head into his shoulder.

"Does he really hate me?" He asked seeming a little concerned.

"Well…Yes. You know what he's like with that game." I winced as he stiffened ever so slightly "But it doesn't matter, it's only Potter…" His tone was surprisingly dark when he replied.

"I just don't need anyone else hating me at the moment…" I looked round at him, more than a little confused. He wore a troubled expression and for the first time since we'd become a 'couple' I felt like I knew very little about this boy.

"You ok?" I whispered. He cleared his throat and dipped his face down to give me a sweet closed-mouth kiss. He stood up briskly, looking at me from under his honey-blond eyelashes. I'd never seen a boy do that before, but it suited Lector just fine.

"Yeah, come on," He helped me up, kissing me again, tugging playfully on the tassels of my scarf. "I've got some people I'd really like you to meet." He said rather cryptically, until he pointed to some people heading towards the Quiddich pitch and I suddenly remembered the reason we were here in the first place; he wanted me to meet his Quiddich team before he started practice. Usually I would have rather walked into the boy's dormitories in the early morning than go anywhere _near_ the pitch, but I really liked Lector and these people were like family to him. We headed towards them and I nervously adjusted my wooly hat and pulled down my sleeves, before pushing them up again… before changing my mind and starting the whole vicious cycle again. I hated meeting new people. He pulled me round to face him just before we went out onto the pitch. "Calm down, their all great I swear." He bent down so our noses where brushing, whispering encouragement until I finally gave up, giggling and following him grudgingly into view. The people waiting hadn't changed yet but walked towards us in muggle cloths. A tall stocky girl with gingery plaits ran over excitedly,

"Your Lily right?" She asked. I nodded gulping as she hugged me enthusiastically, "Its so nice to meet Lectors new girlfriend! You're so beautiful! I wish my hair was like yours…" A dark haired boy, as lanky as she was stocky, rolled his eyes at me,

"Ignore her sticking her foot in her mouth, we all do." I smiled wanly, glancing at the others as Lector introduced me.

"Those two are Sharon and Dan, they love each other really," He winked at them "There Beaters, Josh over there is chaser," He nodded at a sever-looking boy with his steely mouse brown hair cropped short who shook my hand readily. "Jenny and Sylvia are the other two chasers." Two girls, one with blond waves and the other matching chestnut ones smiled and waved shyly. They were rather dainty looking but under the mini skirts and tight tops they had athletes bodies. The last person surprised me, not only because they were glaring at their converse-clad feet but also because it was another girl. From what I understood it was uncommon for there to be more girls than boys in a team, although it deviated between houses, there was always at least two girls on the Gryffindor team, and Ravenclaw had the occasional girl, but for example Slytherin hadn't had a female member in about 20 years (all this, of course, I knew from _Hogwarts: a History_.) "This is our team seeker, Valerie." There was something in the way he said her name that sounded forced. Valerie had dirty blond hair and was the shortest person on the team though taller than me. She shot me an odd look, between sadness, anger and…something else. The atmosphere had instantly changed and everyone was sending each other significant glances that I didn't understand.

"Umm…well, we'd better start…" Sharon said fake-brightly. Valerie and Lector, I suddenly noticed, seemed to be staring each other down. Finally she turned away.

"I've just remembered I'm supposed to be helping my sister out with…something…actually, bye guys." He voice was scratchy and didn't really fit her blond good looks. She stalked of past us, refusing, I noticed, to acknowledge me.

"Wait! Val!?" The nickname slid out of Lectors mouth before he could stop it and as he lurched after his teammate he released my hand.

"Valerie, don't be like that!" Sharon jogged after the other girl, Dan immediately following.

"Shit." Josh muttered as the other two chasers looked at me with unreadable expressions. Lector ran his hands over his face, swearing under his breath,

"Practice cancelled, Fuck…sorry about this Lily." He ran off to catch up with Dan and I blinked, stunned. What the hell was going on? The hand he'd dropped hung uselessly by my side, fingers cold due to the sudden lack of contact.

Katie's P.O.V

Why the _hell_ is Severus Snape talking to _Avery and Mulcumber_?

"Sev?" I questioned, careful. He looked up, guilty.

"Hello Katie," Avery sneered looking me up and down, eyes lingering at the hem of my skirt (which admittedly was always outrageously high).

"Well, are you coming?" I motioned to Sev after rolling my eyes theatrically.

"Say, Katie, are you free next Sunday?" The stupid worm said completely ignoring the fact I hadn't acknowledged him. Sev sat there looking small his eyes flittering between the older boy and us.

"Common then Severus aren't you going to sit with us?" My voice was forced and I ground my teeth purposefully not looking at the Death eater.

"Why don't you sit with us Katie?" Avery leered "I was just telling Snape here about Voldermorts latest plans." Sara's breath hitched and Mulcumber and Avery glanced at her for the first time, unimpressed, my scowl deepened and I squeezed her arm.

"Sorry Avery I've no interest in what that Tom Riddle bloke might think, as far as I'm concerned he can wage war on every none-inbred human around and as long has he does it far away from me." Mulcumber frowned in shock looking up fearfully as if he expected lightning bolts to rain down on him.

"I know you don't really mean that," Avery growled "you should hold your tongue." It was a threat. Katie Jackson just didn't _do _being threatened.

Do not tell me what to do, _Avery_," I spat the name out like an insult "I don't care what any of you jumped-up Death eaters think of me. You don't scare me. You don't impress me. If you ever speak to me again, I'll let slip to the ministry about that lovely illegal dragon-hide and gold sword your farther keeps on the mantel, I'm sure they'd _love_ to hear where you found such a thing." He paled visibly.

"How did you-?"

"-Oh for goodness sake your farther practically wafts it under peoples noses every time you have guests!...Severus, _are you coming_?" I hissed turning my cold gaze to Sev who looked between the older boys and us with a gulp.

"I'm just –my friends-" He said pitifully eyes pleading with Sara clearly hoping he could sway her.

"It's fine Severus, enjoy hanging out with your _friends._ Come talk to us later…you know, if you can squeeze us in._"_ She whispered unforgivingly even though she looked a bit pained in doing so.

"Common Sarz lets not stop their politics." I pulled her down onto the bench with me a little way of.

"I have a really bad feeling about that." Sara muttered into her cereal. I glanced down the table to where the three boys had their heads together whispering excitedly,

"Me to…" I agreed.

**I'm thinking (THINKING) ****about doing chapters in Valerie's P.O.V later on, but thats totally dependent on what you guys want. So voice your brilliant ideas in the box below! (pleaseee review!:) )**


	14. Speak Of The Devil

**Chapter 14! (Obviously...) I apologise for general shortness and stuff:( Anyway, hope you enjoy and also thank you to xlovelytinkx for following and to chel123 for reviewing TWISE in one day! this chapter's for you:)**

**Disclaimer: If only it were mine...**

Chapter 14

Speak of the devil

Sara's P.O.V

"Kate! Sarz! Wait!" We turned to see Severus Snape running towards us; gangly limbs flying round uncoordinated. Katie shot me a sharp look which clearly said 'don't even think about it' I sighed and sent him a reproachful look,

"If you're going to try and recruit us into your pathetic little gang of Riddle-worshippers, you're wasting your time." He looked honestly hurt but I kept my head up high, he couldn't just ignore us for days and then come running when it suited him.

"Look, I'm sorry! It wasn't just my fault… You could have just sat with us…" Katie let out a sharp laugh.

"Could have just sat _with us? _Since when are Avery and Mulcumber 'us', Sev? They're _Death Eaters._ They believe in the necessity to mass-murder of every muggle-born in England! And that includes your precious Lily," She snarled. I twitched slightly, Lily and I had almost forgiven and forgotten, not that Katie knew anything about that.

"You're supposed to be our friend! What are you doing hanging of the arms of our enemies behind closed doors?" I added. Sev caught my gaze with his coal-black eyes and I gulped slightly.

"Well, I'm not the only one, am I, Sara?" He said accusingly. My heart stopped and my stomach lurched. How could he _know? _I'd all but avoided Sirius Black over the past week, however on the very few occasions we had run into each other alone it always seemed to end up with his tongue down my throat. It always went through the same cycle, we snarled and jibed at each other until eventually it became flirtatious teasing… and then I would find myself shoved against the wall in a secluded corridor, kissing fervently. But oh god… Sev KNEW?! How could he know?!

"…What?" I said guiltily, eyes wide.

"What?" Katie snapped turning to me. What. Do. I. Do?

"She's been secretly hanging out with an interesting crowd lately…" Nooo... I started into Sev's bottomless eyes, praying… begging… "I saw you in the Library with Lily on Wednesday Sara." He accused.

"Err… Pardon?"

"WHAT?!" Katie shrieked. Oh no. Still reeling from the news that my little escapades with the Gryffin-dick were not yet discovered, I tried to form an intellectual response.

"That's completely non-related to the problem at present, Severus. There's a difference between making amends with old friends and keeping company with murderers." Katie was scowling at me from behind him, but seemed to decide she would shout at me later,

"Look, I'm sorry, ok? But, they _like_ me, they-they think I matter! I just wanted to be PART of something for once!" He whined pathetically, begging with us by now. Katie pounce.

"So, what, you weren't part of something before? Or are we just not good enough for you Severus?" He gaped at us, open-mouthed as we turned our backs and walked away.

Lily's P.O.V

"Listen I'm really sorry about yesterday, Lily. The team and I have been having some issues…" Lector said dejectedly. I smiled reassuringly at him, even though I hated the feeling he was hiding things from me. I liked Lector for being easy, confortable, safe and the idea that he was keeping secrets too unsettled me. We stopped outside the Gryffindor common room to say goodbye.

"Lector it's OK, I just wish you'd tell me what's going on-" He kissed me again, harder than usual so I had to brace myself against the windowsill. Lector was a very, very good kisser and I sighed through the kiss, even though he'd ignored the question, which annoyed me slightly. And I had to admit that one of the things I found most attractive about Lector Scott had was that he never annoyed me. I'd had enough of annoying with Potter to last a lifetime, thank you very much. Potter. Potter was a problem that was beginning to become difficult to ignore, like an itch you couldn't quite scratch. I wished I could get James Bloody Potter of my head for five minutes; there was something incredibly awkward with thinking about him while trying to concentrate on kissing somebody else.

Speak of the devil. Lector's hands were laced through my hair and I had one arm looped around his neck when I suddenly became aware of somebody approaching. I jumped away to see Remus and Potter stopped, in apparent shock, by the portrait hole. Probably not the best idea to be snogging directly outside the common room… Face red as my (very mussed-up) hair I wiped a hand across my mouth guiltily.

"Evans?" Potters stunned face brought me back to the present. I glanced at an awkward Lector, scuffing his toes like a schoolboy caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Um. Hi, Potter… Remus…" I coughed out finally. Remus kept looking between Potter and Lector worriedly. We all stared at Potter uncertainly, as if he were a bomb rigged to explode. His gaze never left me, and I refused to meet his hurt eyes. He looked like I had just slapped him across the face and behind his shock a pained expression was forming. Finally, he turned and glared at Lector like he wanted him to die on the spot.

"I'm sorry for interrupting." He choked as if… Wow was Potter about to _cry? _He walked back inside without looking at me as I panicked internally. _Of course he wasn't crying_ I pointed out to my flustered brain. He was just seriously in danger of punching poor Lectors lights out…

"Don't you think Lily, next time you want to snog your boyfriend, you could do it away from James. I know YOU don't care about his feelings in the slightest, but he still has them. And that was cruel." Remus said harshly to my upmost surprise. Cruel? It wasn't _intentional_! What kind of bitch did they think I was?! Wait, they thought that happened on PURPOSE?! Shit. Shit, shit, shitty-shit shit shit…


	15. Chapter 15 Squashing Rumours

**Next chapter! huzzah! Not completely happy with this one (am I ever?) but it's pretty long so oh well... If you think theres anything to be improved feel free to mention it in your ****reviews... anyway, bit of Sara/Sirius stuff in this one, hope its ok. Thank you to Type12 who followed my story:D  
**

**Disclaimer: If i owned Harry Potter all of the marauders lives would have had happy endings with butterflies and fairy castles, instead of having short tragic lives that always end in me dribbling tears into a pile of tissues...sob.**

Chapter 15

Squashing Rumours

Sara's P.O.V

It was (finally) my final Detention with Sirius Black and the very thought sent a wave of relief rushing through me. I didn't want to admit that it also made my stomach tingle in anticipation and made my heart rate quicken. Whatever crazy thing had been happening with Black over the past few days was wrong on too many levels and I was determined to stop it right away. Starting tomorrow.

Our final detention was not exactly pleasant; we had to clean up Slughorn's ingredients cupboard, like the 'no access to students contains dangerous materials' cupboard. I swear that woman is trying to kill me…

For once in his life Black actually arrived before me and was already leant against the wall casually with a cheeky grin, dangling a pair of dragon hide gloves in front of me.

"Slugs gone up to bed, he's already packing his bags. He's holding a Slug club party on Christmas day, big whoop huh?" He threw them at me and I raised an unimpressed eyebrow,

"Yay..."

"You Slime-balls all shaken up by the whole 'new head of house' thing?" I shot him an unimpressed glance and he winked at me in a way that made my heart thump despite myself.

"It'll be fine… At least Bella will be happy…"I muttered sourly.

"Bella? Parkinson?" He clarified. "Ah, she's sort of hot isn't she?" He chuckled at my horrified expression and closed the space between us; my stomach fluttered nervously as he cupped my face in his strong supple hands and captured my bottom lip with his. Damn. It was becoming increasingly difficult to hold a normal argument with that boy. "Think I prefer you though…" What? I didn't understand the words he whispered against my lips. I mean, it wasn't as if we actually _liked_ each other, it was just giving in to temptation… And _boy_ was it tempting to wrap my arms around his neck and jump back into his arms, to chase the wildfire that blazed over my skin whenever he touched me. But instead I turned around and examined the cupboard. The table was covered in various potions ingredients and nasty-looking mixtures that needed to be arranged alphabetically on the shelves and a couple of spilled potions lay on the floor (cue the gloves). Black made an annoying whiney sound and wrapped his arms around my waist,

"Black, get to work." I snapped and he laughed good-naturedly and began peppering little kisses up my throat. "Honestly, we where having a vaguely interesting conversation." I finally managed to say; it was taking longer than usual to form a proper sentence.

"Really? I can't quite seem to recall what we where talking about…" He breathed in my ear making me shiver and nearly drop the vile in my hand.

"We were talking about the new head of Slytherin house, now, start scrubbing." I found the inner strength to turn around and shove a bucket into his hands. He pouted slightly but started cleaning readily enough. Truthfully, sometimes it felt like I was babysitting him.

"You got any plans about your next prank? I was expecting one by now." He tried to catch me out with his innocent tone of voice.

"Why would I tell you?" I deadpanned, suddenly glad that he was as far away as possible, so I could actually begin to breath properly.

"Oh common, give me a clue…?" We worked in silence as I continued to ignore him.

"Fine, fine, whatever… So I heard you fell out with Johnson, what's that all about? I mean, I know she's a complete bitch but I thought you two had some weird sisterhood of Slytherin pact thing going on." Really?

"How do you know I 'fell out' with Katie?" I hadn't, she was just fuming over the knowledge I had forgiven Lily for what happened last year.

"Grapevine… Something about you hanging out with Evans…?"

"Oh. That. More or less…" I muttered, "Did you hear Lily's dating Lector Scott? Potter must be chuffed." Black's face turned sober, to my surprise. I walked over to the 'P' section to put away some pickled toads.

"He's gone a bit weird since he found out, to be honest; too quiet. Even at Quiddich practice he's been much less of a diva than usual, and the game with the Hufflepuffs is next Thursday…" He confined. I stared at him,

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked.

"I don't know, I guess I trust you," He said meeting my questioning gaze,

"Trusting a Slytherin? Is that totally wise?" I teased quietly.

"Slytherins are always the best secret keepers,"

"That was very nearly a complement, Black." He stood up and pulled off one glove so he could put his hand on my waist and kissed me dizzyingly slowly.

"Enjoy it while it lasts…"

"Right back at you." I winked.

"Could you, uh" he coughed awkwardly "do me a favor?" I raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Depends what it is…" I said stacking some potions books.

"You know you've been sort of friendly with Evans lately...? Well could you tell her to cut the crap with Potter?"

"Why? What's she done?"

"I wasn't actually there but basically he's really cut up because he caught Lily snogging Lector by the portrait hole, and well… Remus recons… It looked like… It looked like it was no accident, you know?"

"So, she what? Set Potter up to see them snogging?" That seemed horrible and not like Lily at all…Mind you she did really hate him…

"Just seems a bit too convenient for her don't you think?" He pointed out.

"Fine. Sure. I'll talk to her. Honestly, so much bloody drama for what? …I mean, who needs love?" He grinned and leant in for yet _another_ kiss this time pushing me against the shelf, kissing me hard enough to make my stomach do backflips and set my heart racing,

"Not us, huh?" I laughed and kissed him back twice as hard.

"Not us…"

Lily's P.O.V

Even SARA was having a go at me about supposedly picking on Potter. The rumor had spread around the school like wild fire, second only to the fact Jessica Reed had made out with Jack Wood in a mistletoe trap even though she was engaged to David Thomas and the Quiddich game next week. It wasn't fair; I could kill Potter for being so… so… stupid.

As it happened, the perfect opportunity to slaughter him came on Monday night, when most of the Gryffindors had gone to bed and only Potter (unbelievably) touching up on an essay, a couple of third years playing spin the bottle by the window and I remained in the common room.

"Potter." I sat next to him. If this was a normal day he would be bouncing around like a lost puppy at the very thought of me voluntarily talking to _him_, but instead he nodded slightly, without looking up. "You know you weren't supposed to see that thing with Lector, right?" I asked apprehensively. Good job killing him, lily.

"It's fine. Whatever, Evans."

"No, _really. _It was a total accident. I'm truly sorry you had to see that James." He looked up suddenly; whether from the shock of an apology or because I used his first name I couldn't be totally sure.

"It doesn't matter. In fact I should be thanking you. It's been a real reality check." He looked down at the page again, pushing his glasses up his nose.

"What do you mean?" I asked, surprised at the slight shake in my voice.

"I think I need to wake up to the fact I'm never going to get you, am I? Time to move on I guess…" For some unknown reason the thought of him 'moving on' made me feel slightly sick.

"UH, I'm so sorry Potter but I best be… going." My stomach tying itself in knots and my throat dry I sped up the stairs faster than he could reply. Fast enough that I didn't see the tiny renewed glimmer of hope in Potters eyes, as he watched me run away. That boy was too observant for his own good.

**hmm...**


	16. Plotting and Planning

**Here is my pathetic attempt at being funny:) Sorry its so short... I love writing the hostility between Lily and Katie, there so determined to hate each other;P**

**Thank you so so so much to chel123 and ginnytheginger for the THREE REVIEWS, three in the same day! I am so chuffed it's sad:D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters or settings you recognise from the books...not even Sirius... *cries in corner***

Chapter 16

Plotting and planning

Katie's P.O.V

Sara and I were curled up on opposite sides of the coffee table, hot drinks (tea for her –I can't stand the stuff- coffee for me –mmmm-) settled on the table in front of us.

"So, any headway on the finding new future husband front?" She joked. Secretly I knew we both worried about it, but it was so much easier to joke about it, to pretend none of it was real.

"Well, I've narrowed it down to three; Avery, the possible woman-beater and future Death Eater; Professor Knight, the old dusty professor–cross-millionaire who could end up getting me excluded; or Severus Snape, greasy haired ex-bestie who may or may not end up spending the rest of his life kissing Tom Riddles shoes." We both laughed flatly and she sipped her tea with a pensive look.

"What is going on with Sev lately? I know he wants to be accepted by the other boys but surly he can see there just pure _evil_." I sighed and fiddled with a coaster,

"Maybe we should talk to him tomorrow, freezing him out isn't helping the situation… But anyhow…have you thought up a prank yet?" Her worried face morphed into an evil smirk,

"I've got a couple of ideas…" I sniggered at her expression and leant forewords eagerly.

"Do go on," I said.

"Well, you know the Quiddich game next Thursday…?"

"Yes, of course, if Gryffindor wins then they still have a shot at the cup…"

"Well, we can sneak into their common room during the game and then Prank them…" She whispered even though it was late and we were the only ones in the common room.

"What if someone recognizes us?! Plus how do you plan to get the password exactly?" I mused.

"We can just transfigure our features, we learnt it in 4th year remember…and as for the password…I thought we could use a bit of…help…" I narrowed my eyes. "…From the inside…"

"You are not ACTUALLY suggesting…?" Please, PLEASE don't let her be talking about that bitch…

"Oh I am…" She raised her eyebrows.

"But, but… She's one of them…and…and well I mean it's HER…"

"Exactly, with her help well have no problems getting in and out without being spotted!" She reasoned.

"Oh for fucks sake! Fine, we'll ask her! But I don't like it ok? And if this all backfires in our face and she grasses us up I'm SO saying I told you so!" I grumbled.

"Great!" She grinned like the cat that got the cream.

"I'm not being nice to her though, and you're the one asking for her help, not me. Are we clear?"

Sara's P.O.V

"Oi! Lily!" I hissed from behind a tapestry, Lily stopped in the middle of the corridor, looking this way and that in confusion. "Lily…!" I murmured even quieter. She continued looking over her shoulder for the source of the noise and I could see students turn the corner at the end of the hall. "Li-"

"Fuck this!" Katie snapped jumping into the corridor, grabbing Lily from behind and dragging her backward behind the tapestry before she could even scream.

"Oh my god! –Sara?" She panicked loudly.

"Shh! Don't freak out, we just need to talk to you." I explained quickly.

"Was it really necessary to drag me behind a tapestry?" She deadpanned.

"Yes." Katie retorted. "Now, you're going to help us break into Gryffindor tower during the game on Thursday, clear?"

"Your doing _what?" _Lily squeaked wide-eyed. I stared amused at Katie, she was clearly milking the whole 'shady backdoor deals' thing.

"Relax Lily, we're just pranking the marauders…" I sighed, rolling my eyes.

"Wait… and you want MY help?" Katie glared at her.

"Well done, Sherlock."

"Me? Help you get into Gryffindor common room to prank the boys? You realize what they'll do to me if they found out I was helping you?" She speculated.

"Ok, let me make this easier for you; if you help us prank them and they found out Potty might get all upset and blank you, If you DON'T help us you won't be getting back out into the corridor with all you stupid carrot-hair still attached to your pretty little head." Ouch. Maybe Katie was taking this a little TOO seriously…

"Slow down! ... Lily, what Katie is _trying_ to say is that we _really _need your help. Please help us get into the common room, you're one of my best friends -were one of them, I mean…" Lily softened slightly, but not before sending Katie one of the scariest death glares of all time.

"How can I help you guys anyway?" She pointed out.

"Well, you can start with giving us the password-" Katie began,

"-Checking the coast is clear, distracting the boys, nothing too bad… please? Surly you want to see Potters face when he gets pranked?" I cut her off. Lily smiled slightly.

"Well, it is funny when they get pranked…" I grinned finally she was coming round! "-But if I help you it has to go both ways-," She warned. "You stop getting me caught in the cross-fire of these silly pranks alright? Whatever you've got with the marauders is strictly between you and them; it's not fair to make half of our house suffer whenever you feel like showing them up. Deal?" She offered, extending a hand for me to shake, Katie opened her mouth but I cut her off,

"Sounds fair enough, you help us, we'll stay away from you. We can all work together now, right, Katie?" I said pointedly.

"Thanks Sarz… it took me bloody ages to get that stupid paint out of my hair…" Lily muttered loud enough for Katie to snicker nastily. Lily turned her laser eyes on my other best friend who immediately glared back. So much for working in harmony…


	17. Wish This Was A Bond Film

**New chapter..sorry if it's badly written, it's kind of midnight:/ So! New chapter for all you lovely people who've stuck with this story this far, jolly well done! god I'm tired...Sorry for the sudden bout of swearing in this one**

**thanks again to chel123 for ****reviewing, and also to TheeWhoLivesInTheWorldOfDreams for following/the favourite:D**

Chapter 17

Wish this was a Bond Film…

Lily's P.O.V

"Good luck, Potter." I nodded briefly, gritting my teeth.

"Err? What?" He said, bewildered at being stopped by _me _of all people in the doorway of the fat lady.

"Good. Luck." I said as sincerely as I could manage without throwing up.

"You're going to the game? You're not cheering for the Hufflepuffs?" His face twisted objectionably at the thought. Oh Jesus this boy was a COMPLETE loser.

"Well," I smiled 'sweetly' "I figured I'd go just this one time…" He studied my face carefully.

"Oh, fancy walking down with me?" I wanted to slap his stupid hopeful grin of his face right then, but I suddenly spotted Sara over his shoulder, sneaking around the corner, Katie in tow. She gave me a quick thumbs up and began to creep towards us. I was starting to lose confidence, they would never brush within a foot of him without him realizing! This wasn't a bloody Bond film! I tried to keep the anxiety out of my voice and replace it with sarcasm.

"Yeah, Potter, need I remind you I have a boyfriend? …Besides, you'll be late for your own game." He sighed, clearly disappointed, Sarz was now 5 meters off and I was beginning to really feel the pressure.

"Well, actually, I've forgotten my gloves, so I need to go back and get-" He'd half turned back to the portrait hole, Katie and Sara both stilled in horror now mere feet away. I panicked, grabbing his shoulder to stop him turning to see the two Slytherins behind him. Despite the fact his skin was pleasantly warm through his robes I felt a shiver shoot up my spine and I gulped and forced myself not to pull away. He stared at me, confused and behind him Sara and Katie where franticly signaling there thanks.

"I…" I winced slightly; this isn't happening! "I could…get them…for you?" It came out more like a question "You know, so you wouldn't be late?" My hand was still sat awkwardly on his shoulder; which he rolled ever so slightly, looking round as if this was some sort of practical joke (which I guess it sort of was, huh? Got to love a sprinkle of irony…).

"Uh, Lily I think it would be better if I just… you know went and got them myself…" Sara was now right behind him. Like, breath-and-his-neck-would-tingle right behind him… I silently tried to convey with my eyes that she should _hurry the fuck up!_ She somehow managed to slip past the Gryffindor chaser and more or less legged it inside. Katie now tried to sneak past. I knew I had to think of something, fast.

"Please, Potter? I just… I feel so bad about the other day… I wish there was some way I could… make it up to you…?" Oh god, why? Why was _that_ the best I could come up with? …And also why was I stepping closer? And WTF was up with the seductive tone of voice? Potter looked like he'd just been hit over the head with a baseball bat, and Katie turned around from inside the common room and pretended to barf. _Go!_ I mimed while Potter was otherwise engaged hyperventilating.

"So that works right?" I asked briskly stepping past him, glad to have my hand back, it felt strange by my side, like little electric bolts where still zinging up to my elbow.

"Wait, you wont know where they are…"

"Accio James Potter's Gloves." A pair of Quiddich gloves flew down the stairs and I chucked them through the portrait hole.

"What was the point in that Evans? I could have done that-"

"-You have exactly 10 minutes before your game starts." I pointed out, before he could try and step back inside.

"…Shit…" His voice faded as the portrait hole closed. I collapsed on the sofa, sighing with relief.

"All clear…" I breathed, watching Katie, graceful and cat-like as ever, seemingly melted out of the wall by the fireplace whilst her best friend staggered out from where she had apparently been crouched behind a chest of draws with a curtain draped over her head _totally_ inconspicuously.

"You chose a pretty convenient time to 'discover your feelings' for Potter." Katie said snidely.

"Leave her alone Kate, she saved both our arses in the process!" Sara laughed, climbing the stairs to the boy's dormitories.

"So this won't hurt them?" I asked warily, re-making Remuses bed.

"Don't be such a pussy Evans." Katie snapped.

"Nah," Sara replied, ignoring her crabby mate, "They sell this stuff at Zonko's… Katie only…_concentrated_…it a little…" Which did not exactly calm my nerves… "The last part has to be done face-to-face, not entirely sure how we're going to manage that?" She mused.

"Well… In the _unlikely_ event that Gryffindor wins you could always sneak into the after party?" I pointed out.

"But they'd recognize us!" Katie pointed out.

"Duh, transfiguring our features, we've been through this before Katie… You know, Lils, that could just about work…" Sara said, surprised.

"Uh, NO. No it COULDN'T." Katie snapped glaring at us both. "You;" She pointed at me, "You ridiculous ginger twit, are insane. Two Slytherins trying to smuggle themselves into a party in Gryffindor tower is more or less suicide!" I scowled, clenching my fists.

"You know, I'm getting just a little tired of the digs at my hair, you utter cow." I growled.

"And as for you;" She turned to Sara "YOU are supposed to be the sensible one here! A month ago if someone had asked you to do something as insane as this you would have laughed in their face!"

"Kate, common, well be fine…" Sara tried to pacify her friend.

"This could be my last year, Sara. My last. Fucking. Year. Is it so bad I wanted to spend it with you doing _normal stuff_?" She stalked down the stairs and Sara ran after her already shouting out apologies. Wait, what? Her last year? I frowned and reluctantly headed for the pitch, deep in thought, having promised Lector I'd show.


	18. In Which I Loose, Again

**Before you ask, yes. Yes it did take three days to write this crummy Quidditch scene. *sigh...* my levels of ****optimism astound even me...:) Oh well, here it is... oh BTW the italics is flashbacks**

**Thank you to Chel123 for reviewing and to The Dark Lady 55 and IceNinja23**

Chapter 18

In Which I Loose, Again

Valerie's P.O.V

I gripped my broom so unnecessarily hard my knuckles where white,

"…If we win this game we've got the whole cup in the bag…" Lector told us reassuringly for the fourth time in his speech, "Now, Potter may have a pretty sad line up, but his beaters are strong and he's dangerously good at scoring hoops even if the other two can barley get themselves off the ground," the other team members laughed nervously "so we make this short, ok? We don't take our eyes off Potter for a second and Valerie;" the strain in his voice at addressing me directly made my throat tighten and I stared at my shoes "Go straight for the snitch, we need to make this a quick game ok? Don't worry about what's going on with the rest of the match...". I finally plucked up the courage to sneak a glance at him from under my fringe; his face was as drawn as his voice, he was looking anywhere but directly at me and his arms, which once upon a time had held me close, were crossed over his chest in an almost defensive position. My eyes stung and I nodded, swallowing down the tears bobbing in my throat. "Ok, lets move out people," he said grimly, you could hear the relief in his voice at being able to ignore me again. I felt a large hand squeeze my shoulder gently and looked up to meet John's blue-grey eyes.

"Come on Val, you're the best seeker we've ever had, you can win this game for us. Don't let him get in your way, not now." John's voice smooth voice, everything about him in fact, reminded me of stainless steel. He was usually a man of few words and his encouragement warmed my heart just a little. I sighed and nodded.

"Ok…" My voice sounded pitifully small even to me (which is hard to believe as I usually have the scratchy tone of a recovering flu victim or a 75 year old chain smoker). How had it come to this? When had everything gone so horribly, nightmarishly wrong? My nerves jangled despite myself as we exited onto the pitch, and for a second I was overwhelmed by the screaming crowd and the sun shining of last night's fresh snow. Madam Hooch rubbed her hands together, I suspected partially from the cold.

"Scott, Potter, shake hands," Potter stepped forward resolutely, glowering at Lector like he wanted nothing more than to kick him where it would hurt. Lector stepped forwards bravely, extending his hand. Potter, all but snarling, shook his hand so hard there was an audible crack. I examined his expression and remembered that Potter had famously been obsessed since third year with Lector's new girlfriend. No wonder his glowering face looked so familiar, it mirrored my own feelings perfectly and for a moment I felt truly sorry for the Gryffindor captain. I knew from experience how much it sucks to be the jealous ex. "On my whistle… three…two…one…". I kicked off into the air, soaring around the stadium as fast as my broom would allow. The icy wind lifted my hair and stung my eyes as I squinted around the pitch for that familiar golden glint.

"…This is a big match for Gryffindor, if they win this match Hufflepuff won't have secured the cup… and Sylvia Taylor of Hufflepuff has the Quaffle, a neat backwards pass to Jennifer Goodheart, who throws to Josh Barnes –James Potter of Gryffindor intercepts the pass! Wow, look at him go! Potter tears down the pitch…" I turned around in mid air to see Potter zooming across the pitch towards the three distant gold hoops, easily dodging the Bludger Dan sent his way. I found myself watching nervously as he sped towards Lector "…like the devil's on his heels! We have to wonder if all this enthusiasm is simply about the game or whether perhaps Potter is on a rather more personal vendetta… After all Lector recently started dating Lily Evans… One has to wonder what exactly is going on there…." Incredulous, I turned to the commentator's box in time to see the seventh year boy being scolded by McGonagall.

"A-hem, yes, yes… Apologies Professor…-AND POTTER SHOOT…HE SCORES! 10 points to Gryffindor!" I turned to see Lector bang his fist on the goalpost, and I felt my heart sink. Shit. I needed to concentrate on the Snitch. I tried to keep my mind from flashing back to years past and find the little golden glint. Gryffindor's seeker appeared to decide that following me was his best bet at finding it so I began zigzagging across the pitch, trying to lose him…

_...Lector laughed and wrapped his arms around my waist, kissing me on the cheek._

_ "…You're so funny Valerie…" I snorted turning round to face him._

_ "What? What did I do?" I huffed._

_ "It's just your face…" I hid a smirk,_

_ "You're amused by my face? That's lovely, now I'm trying to remember why I keep you around…" He turned me to face him and kissed me hard, leaving me panting and smiling like a maniac. "Yeah… I think I'm beginning to recall why…"_

_ "Maybe because I love you?" My heart thumped and my stomach fluttered dizzily, it was the first time he'd used the L word, unless you counted sweet moments in our childhood... and I didn't count the love declarations of a two year old. I smiled up at him, running my thumb over his slightly swollen bottom lip. He looked at me with an open expression, _

_ "I think this is the part where you say you love me too…" I smiled and kissed him gently,_

_ "I love you too…"_

The snitch was hovering at the base of the Gryffindor hoops, the other seeker was distracted, and Gryffindor had just scored again. I dived towards the snitch; wind snatching at my cloths and whistling in my ears. I somehow knew instinctively when the other seeker joined the chase, his broom was faster than mine but I was closer. The ground approached rapidly and I gulped, if I hit the ground at this speed it was a one-way trip to Saint Mungo's. I needed to concentrate, so much rode on me winning this game, and I'd already lost Lector…

_ "Why are you crying Val?" Lector asked, sitting down beside me._

_ "B-Bobby says I can't marry Santa…" I sobbed hugging him._

_ "What? Why did he say that?" Lector said defensively. _

_ "B-Because he said Santa isn't REAL!" I cried. Lector cuddled me and stood up._

_ "I'm going to go and tell Bobby to leave you alone, of course Santa's real." I looked up at him; I'd stopped crying now, because Lector's 6 and he knows things._

_ "So I can still marry Santa?" I asked him, excited._

_ "Well, maybe. But Santa might have a girlfriend." Lector told me knowledgeably._

_ "Oh." I scrunched up my face and I thought I might cry again. But then Lector sat down next to me and put his arm around my shoulder. _

_ "If Santa doesn't want to marry you when your older then you don't have to worry; you can still marry me!" He reassured me. I really liked that idea because Lector is really nice and not smelly like the other boys and when people say I'm silly he tells them off and they listen because he's in year two and he's a big boy. _

_ "Really? You promise you'll marry me? Can we have a pet unicorn? A pink one?" I squealed._

_ "Yes. I promise Vals, and I never break a promise..."_

The snitch suddenly took of towards the stands, I broke out of the dive early and chased after it, the Gryffindor seeker was less lucky and I heard him shout as he nearly toppled of his broom. I had it! I almost had it! I stretched out my arm; now close enough to see the individual faces in the crowd. I was annoyed to notice that the other seeker was apparently _not_ clutching a broken arm but hot on my heels. Suddenly I saw a flash of deep red hair, Lily Evans was working her way through the crowd, she looked up as if she knew I was looking and waved. The Gryffindor was now level with me and the snitch was less than a foot away, so why did I look over my shoulder to see Lector waving back at her? There was a loud crunch and a sudden blinding pain in my ribs as what felt like a cannonball hit me right in the side, almost knocking me off my broom. My vision swam as I veered haphazardly towards the ground unaware of the roar of triumph in the box above me. I was about two meters off the ground when I slipped sideways of my broom, realizing through the pain that I was lying on my back in the grass. I saw the crystal blue sky and then the crystal blue eyes and the familiar face dancing above me,

"VALERIE! VALERIE?! Can you hear me?" That beautiful voice sounded painfully far away. I brought my hand up to stroke his cheek.

"Lector… I lost…again…didn't I?" I whispered his name like a prayer…I felt myself drifting away into the darkness…

**Cliff hanger... I'm so mean! Hope you all liked it, writing this chapter killed...**


	19. Party In The Lions Den

**Thank you to Chel123 for yet another brilliant review and also to SilverKitsuneGrlAngel and rachel3athena for following. **

**SPOILER**** ALERT**

**This next one might confuse you a little...Sara and Katie have changed there appearance ****and are going to the party as someone else; hope that clears up any confusion for you.**

Chapter 19

Party In The Lions Den

Sara's P.O.V

"I'm really sorry, you can still back out if you want to Katie…" I fretted turning to the girl with mousy hair in a drastic bob next to me. She sighed rolling her eyes.

"Look, it's fine ok? I'm sorry I lost my head but if you apologies one more time I'm going to hit you."

"You know, if you don't tone down the sass a bit tonight someone's going to recognize you." I replied loftily. We reached the end of the corridor and could hear the distant voices of Gryffindor students climbing the stairs to the party. "Ok stop a minute," We faced each other "Do you recognize me in the slightest?" I asked. She examined me, and finally brought out her wand " Hold on I'm just going to make your nose a shade pointier… You make an awful blond by the way…"

"Thanks!" I exclaimed fingering a straightened strand of shoulder-length honey coloured hair, my eyes where also a non-descript blue and I was wearing a dress with a hemline four times higher than I was usually comfortable with. Katie was unrecognizable without her gorgeous black hair but the new haircut still made her cheekbones look striking.

"I'm going to thin your lips a bit more ok?" I told her as I performed the spell.

"Urgh, I feel so…frumpy…" She complained. If you haven't already guessed, we were both heavily under the influence of some serious physical transfiguration. The plan was simple; sneak into party pretending to be two Ravenclaw fifth years invited by Lily, get close enough to Marauders to cast spell on there drinks, hightail out of there while Potty and his crew are none the wiser. It sounds rather simple when I put it like that…It's not. I'm sweating with worry, mostly because I'm _positive _Black will recognize me, I mean…well how could he not? I'm beginning to see Katie's point but it's to late to go back on my word after being so stubborn…Oh god!

"Hey Lily," Katie said enthusiastically hugging Lily tightly. Lily pulled an uncomfortable face but patted her on the back awkwardly.

"What did you say our names where?" I asked hiding a smirk as the worst enemies pretended to embrace each other.

"Uh, Katie your Saph…" She told her. Katie's mask of high-spiritedness slipped off immediately,

"Saph? I'm SO not a Sapphire, I mean come on!"

"Sara your Jess ok?" I nodded glumly trying to pretend my skinny twig-legs could look attractive in this dress.

We were met at the portrait hole by muggle music blaring out of the radio and the sound of the whole of Gryffindor house celebrating and downing the Firewhisky. Within seconds a brunet had thrown her arms round Lily's neck and turned to us suspiciously.

"Who are they?" Her brown hair was swept back in a ponytail that bounced when she spoke and it was clear she was more than a little tipsy,

"Mary, isn't it a bit early in the evening to be drunk?" Lily asked tiredly, though it was clear they were close friends. "And what, these two? Oh, this is Jess, that's Saph, I know they're Ravenclaws but this is there first party so I figured we could make an exception…?" Lily introduced us. Mary's face lit up and she squealed, grabbing my arm. "Oh my god! This is your _first_ party? But, you guys are like 15, right? Oh, I'm SO excited! Let me show you round!" She'd dragged me off into the crowd and Lily watched, amused as Katie trailed along behind. I tried to catch sight of the Marauders, and even spotted Peter once or twice, but Mary refused to relieve her steel grip on my arm, introducing us to her friends, their friends, their friend's friends and giggling at every cute boy in the room.

"OMG! Jess, don't look now, but Black is _totally _looking at you!" I tried to spin round but she grabbed my arm "I said _don't look now!_ Wait until I look away!" She flipped her hair nonchalantly, effectively averting her gaze (This was beginning to remind me of those American high school movies my cousin had snuck me out to see a couple of times). "Ok, _now _look." She ordered. I turned as inconspicuously as I could, grasping my glass of punch a little too hard as I scanned the crowd of dancing teens. Suddenly I spotted Sirius, stood coolly with a bottle of Firewhisky in one hand and the other in his pocket, he was wearing one of those cotton jumpers that hugged his chest in _just_ the right way and I think he'd put some sort of gel in his hair so that he looked _even sexier_, if that's possible,talking to a couple of girls. I also couldn't help but notice he was staring STRAIGHT AT ME. My stomach instantly exploded into butterflies and my hands felt slippery. He was going to recognize me! The stupid disguise was going to be useless! He'd recognize me, and then… ohhh shit… I needed to find Katie, who had escaped Mary's clutches about 10 minutes before in order to go and 'dance with Peter'.

"He's coming over!" Mary exclaimed, bringing me back to earth,

"What?" I snapped.

"Sirius-Black-resident-sex-god-of-Gryffindor-tower -is-COMING-OVER!" She squealed; her ponytail bouncing so violently I worried it would blind a nearby dancer.

"Hold on, don't panic, I'll leave you guys to it. Now, keep calm, but remember: this is _Sirius fucking Black!_" She panicked, glancing over my shoulder and then hastily melting into the crowd.

"Hey, I don't think we've met…?" I turned to face him. Come on, it was only Black… He was close enough that I could see his individual eyelashes, and I had a strong (not to mention unhelpful) bout of Déjà vu as my brain thought back to those moments by the lake, and the teddy I _still_ couldn't find. I gulped and took a step back, refusing to make eye contact.

"Figures." I turned around to walk away and leave Black to Katie or Lily but he grabbed my hand,

"Hey, wait! You sure? You look sort of…familiar?" I gauged his expression, trying to figure out if he was just flirting with me or if I was in real danger of being recognized. I decided he was just flirting.

"I'm from Ravenclaw," I explained "You've probably seen me round." He squinted at me,

"No, I feel like I…know you somehow…" We were steering into dangerous territory, so I forced a flirtatious grin.

"The names Jessica though, it's nice to meet you…I won't pretend not to know who you are…" I said sweetly. He raised an eyebrow,

"How so?"

"Oh, come on! _Everyone_ knows about the infamous Sirius Black, or as my new friend just put it, Sirius-Black-resident-sex-god-of-Gryffindor-tower, " He burst out laughing.

"Ah, yes, Mary always did talk too loudly when she's drunk." I sniggered along, sneaking a glance at him as he took a generous swing of Firewhisky; it was clear Black could hold his drink …Hmm… How to charm it without him noticing…

"Do you fancy a dance, Jess from Ravenclaw?" I found it incredibly amusing that the boy I was currently snogging in cupboards as a pass time was asking me out as someone else, I knew he was a complete player, but it was interesting to experience it first hand…Second hand? Whatever.

"Oh, I don't know…" I finished my punch and he took that as his cue to finish the bottle of Firewhisky. I'm pretty sure my eyes bugged out of my head, the fact he was almost acting totally normal after and ENTIRE BOTTLE was more or less a miracle.

"Please? I'll make sure you don't regret it." Ok, so maybe he _was_ a little drunk after all.

"I guess just the one song then…" Suddenly, low and behold, the song Sirius sang that time in detention weeks ago 'gives you hell' came up on the radio.

"Oh, wow, what are the chances?" I laughed without thinking. He sent me an odd look.

"What?" I panicked, trying to dance attractively and think of a sensible reply at the same time.

"Uh…this is my favorite song…" He cracked a grin, but glanced at me calculatingly.

"It's a cool song…" I nodded,

"Now, dance with me you idiot!" I giggled nervously, pulling his hands onto my waist and throwing mine around his neck.

"As her majesty commands…"

It had been hours since we started dancing, but it felt more like minutes. Black had gone to the bathroom and I had kindly offered to 'look after' his drink for him. He was more than a little off his head by this point and I was beginning to feel the fuzzy affects of alcohol as well. Somehow I'd managed to go unrecognized for the past three hours. It was now around 1am and people where beginning to go off to bed.

"Have you done it yet?" Lily was suddenly by my side

"…I'm doing it now." I muttered, concentrating on casting the spell correctly so that the effects would only set in tomorrow morning.

"Ok, good, I did Remus, and Katie did the other two, oh and by the way she headed off to bed about 10 minutes ago. You Slytherins sure don't mind leaving a man behind…" I laughed quietly. "Do you want to slip out while no-one's watching?" She whispered.

"Oh, no. I promised him another dance…" Lily raised her eyebrows "Erm…What I meant was… It would look too… suspicious. Anyway I want to check he drinks it…" Lily narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth to question me when Black came back, taking another swig from the bottle (Result!).

"Hey Lily, you don't mind if I steal Jess here for one last dance do you?" He slung an arm around my shoulder and walked me back to the dance floor. The next song was slow and romantic so he pulled me in close and I rested my head on his chest, feeling his warmth on my cheek.

"You're running off in a minute, right?" He whispered in my ear.

"How did you guess?" I teased.

"Sweetheart, you've always been predictable." Something about the way he said it made me shiver.

"Oh…" We were silent for a while and I relaxed again, enjoying his presence and wishing I could kiss him. He buried his face into my hair, breathing deeply…

"Mm… You still smell the same…" He murmured. I froze, staring up at him.

"W-What?" I freaked out. He grinned crookedly,

"Hey there, Sara…" He smiled against my throat. I stumbled away.

" I don't know what you're talking about…I've…Got to go…." I turned and ran in utter shock. He KNEW! The whole time he KNEW?! Oh god, please don't let him remember this tomorrow morning…

**Now, kiddies, what is the moral of this story? -When drinking alcohol never leave your glass unattended! had P.S.H.C.E last lesson today ****Lol.****..**


	20. Like An Itch You Can't Quite Scratch

**20 WHOLE CHAPTERS! Yay! I'm so ****happy:)**

**So, this chapter might not be everyones cup of tea, but it was a bundle of laughs to write. I hope ****that you guys like reading it as much as I like writing it! Basically, I know there's a lot of pervyness in this chapter but I felt like**** dedicating an entire chapter to topless guys:D Jokes, believe it or not, my muse for this chapter was my best friends ex, who won a costume competition by dressing as a Smurf, it was so funny because she avoided him for the whole thing, being the awkward 12 year old that she was:) Special Thank you to ginnytheginger and chel123 for reviewing and also to midnightcures, FireDragonAeryn and chairmanmeoww for following.**

Chapter 20

…Like An Itch You Can't Quite Scratch

Lily's P.O.V

I woke up on Friday morning to the dulcet tones of the Marauders screaming at the top of there lungs. Mary toppled sideways off her mattress, hands over her ears,

"Oh god…Make it stop…" I watched her drag herself into the bathroom and heard her throw up in the toilet.

"Do you want me to come in, Mary?" I said loudly and clearly through the door, making Marline McKinnon shove her head under a pillow and groan.

"No…Just make the screaming stop! …My head feels like its about to crack in half…" She moaned. I sighed, typical; everyone in Gryffindor tower was hung-over _except _me. It's not like I didn't drink! I just knew when it was sensible to stop, and never felt a particular desire to get so drunk I couldn't walk in a straight line. I could still hear the pathetic shrieks from the 6th year boy's dorm and I walked through the empty common room, which was littered with the remains of last night's party, and up the boy's staircase. I knew, of course, why they were squealing like pathetic girls, so I took my sweet time in coming to there rescue. When I finally walked in, not bothering to nock, an incredible sight met my eyes… Each of the Marauders were tightly tucked into their beds, flailing madly. There where also each an alarming shade of blue.

"Oh my god Evans, you're a fucking angel!" Sirius Black shouted catching sight of me, I smirked.

"What's with the screaming? And the Smurf dress up?" I added, eyebrows raised, they each appeared to be sporting a white sock on top of their heads and I easily recognized the cartoon from my childhood.

"Sara must have pranked us," Remus panicked (I couldn't help but notice he had a long white beard…) "Ohhhh it ITCHES!" I laughed silently.

"Itches?" I asked innocently.

"YES!" Potter replied, between long strings of unmentionable curse words. He was clearly trying desperately to get out of his bed, grunting with the effort. The whole bed was lurching several inches forwards, "It-must-be-some-sort-of-itching-powder! Oh man…I'm going to-" and, well, let's not repeat what he shouted next. The reason they were all going insane was we'd lined their beds with concentrated itching powder and (here's the good bit) cursed the bed covers to trap them in there beds until someone undid the charm. And as for the Smurf thing, that was just a sweet little touch I'd suggested…

"Lily…Get me outtt…" Peter squealed, when I spotted him I very nearly died laughing; he was dressed as Smurfette! The bouncy blond wig was really quite becoming on him…

"Ok, ok I'm coming." I said eventually, (though it was sorely tempting to leave Potter and Black) I cast the counter-curse on Peter, Remus and Sirius's beds, but made a big thing of freeing Potter last. They all threw themselves out of their beds before I could blink, madly scratching. Black, hilariously, was rubbing his back on the bedpost like a dog. I paused, a little blown away for a second, after all, it's not ever day your faced with three outrageously handsome topless guys (or indeed, one short fat one in a white sundress and high heels…). Remus was sporting a pair of red tights, a matching red sock on his head, and a beard: Papa Smurf! I also couldn't help but notice with concern that his slim torso was covered in crisscrossing scars… Peter was obviously Smurfette (for this I was quite grateful, I'd take a miss on seeing him wonder around shirtless). Black had a pair of while shorts on and a red heart with an arrow through it drawn on his right arm; Hefty Smurf (Fitting, I decided. he looked, rather predictably, like a Hollister model). And Potter. Potter had the biggest most ridiculous pair of round spectacles on (Brainy Smurf, duh. Terrible choice in my opinion...), not that I noticed, my eyes were glued, literally GLUED to his abs. I mean, I knew he was a chaser and that girls always cooed over his broad shoulders and lean muscles, but I guess I always imagined I was immune to all that, and, you know…I didn't imagine he'd look so…hot… I knew I should be looking away round about now (I was dating someone else after all!) but I couldn't help but wonder at the fact _JAMES POTTER _had a six-pack…I mean…JAMES FREAKING POTTER! I'd practically melted into a puddle on the floor and he was fucking painted _blue_! I shuddered at what my reaction would be _minus_ the dodgy coloring…what was I thinking? I would never KNOW what my reaction would be minus the colouring! I finally dragged my eyes back up his body to his face, gulping. All four boys had there arms crossed and Potter raised his eyebrows in a way that had me forgetting how to breath all over again.

"The- The charm should undo itself automatically around 5 o'clock…uh… bye!" I croaked, charging down the stairs and towards breakfast where Sara and Katie would be waiting.

Sara's P.O.V

About half an hour after Lily darted into the Grand Hall, her face oddly aflame and hugged Lector awkwardly before scampering our way, the marauders entered. Lily had already gone into immense detail about how well the itching powder had worked and how good the Smurf costumes looked, though I couldn't help but notice she had avoided telling us why she looked so flustered. I figured it out almost immediately when the Marauders stalked into the room in all their Smurf-like glory.

"Hey, Look, Diana! Remus is wearing your tights!" Bella laughed nastily. My first thought was that I might just die laughing. And my second was…whoa! Topless dudes! I guess that's just teenage girls for you…

"Yum, Black looks like you could just _eat_ him…" I heard Bella whispered to Yaxley, for some unknown reason I felt a very sudden powerful urge to grab her by her stupid hair-extensions and shove her face into the porridge. I resisted that urge…Just about. However, even from across the room I couldn't help but agree.

"Oh god! Not again! Hide me!" Lily said shrilly, once again an alarming shade of crimson, almost cowering behind a very annoyed-looking Katie.

"What's up with you?" Katie growled. Lily blushed further and mumbled something undetectable, "Yeah, your going to have to speak up, carrot head." Katie snapped.

"I said; _I got caught perving on Potter!" _She bit back loudly before practically sliding under the table in embarrassment.

"Wait a second, you what?" I asked in surprise, "_You_ were perving on _Potter?_"

"It was an accident…" Lily mumbled guilty.

"I thought you liked that Hufflepuff bloke? You know, the blond one?" I knew that Katie knew Lectors name and was 'forgetting' it just to get on Lily's nerves but for once I couldn't be bothered to scold her.

"I DO." Lily barked, talking the bait. "Of course I bloody do! I just…wasn't expecting him to be so…" She trailed of, eyes involuntarily moving to the Gryffindor, and we all swerved round to inspect him where he sat at the end of table. I had to admit that those Marauders where all fine young specimens… And I got her point.

"Wow, loving his V…" Katie said approvingly. Diana turned from where she'd being chatting to Bella and asked,

"What's a V?" Katie and I pretended to gasp in horror.

"You don't know what a V is?" Katie cried in fake-shock,

"No, actually." Diana said uncomfortably.

"Oh, shows how much YOU know!" Bella flipped her hair importantly, apparently joining the conversation (Until that point she'd been refusing to acknowledge that we'd allowed a muggleborn on our table). "It's the outline of a boy's hips, kind of frames his six-pack…Actually in some cases it's _more_ attractive than the six-pack…" She twittered pompously. I rolled my eyes at Diana who looked like she was having a 'eureka' moment.

"Oohh I get it now, like what Severus has?" She enthused.

"Guys, can we change topic!" Lily said sounding mildly panicked. Katie chocked on her cereal, staring at Diana

"_No!_ Not like what Snape has!" She cried, seeming to take the comment as a personal offence.

"Hmm I don't know, I think she's onto something, Sev's certainly worked out over the summer…" I pondered fairly.

"GUYS! Can. You. Shut. Up. Now?" Lily practically yelled.

"Although I think Potter wins that battle hands down… You know what, fair enough Lily, your only human, it's not your fault you go a bit weak at the knee's at the sight of a nice pair of abs, no matter who they may be attached to…Though Black's certainly giving him a run for his money on the six-pack front…"

"Is that so Sara?" A horribly familiar voice said from behind me, clearly amused. I was pretty sure my head was going to explode with embarrassment. The whole table of girls reeled at the sight of Potter and Black stood behind us.

"Oh…Uh…How-H-How much of that did you hear?" I stuttered.

"What? You nice little monologue about our bodies? Or Parkinson's lovely description of a 'V'" Shit. Black winked disgustingly at Bella, so I concentrated on my spoon.

"Anyway, feel free to continue on girls, we've just come to inquire as to Lily being sat at Slytherin table…? And just an inquiry, who _where_ that particular pair of abs attached to?" Sirius teased. Cruel boy, I'd be having words with him later… Lily, who'd been cowering behind Katie again, now stumbled upright, tripping in her haste. I glared quietly at Bella when she sniffed haughtily at the Gryffindor girl whose face matched her tie.

"I was just going actually…" She said from behind her hair, glancing once again at Potter's chiseled muscles and surprised expression despite herself. I cleared my throat,

"Yeah, uh, me too I need to go change my top …I …um …dropped beans on it…" I looked helplessly down at my cereal, surrounded by awkward silence, and fled the hall in Lily's wake.

Black and Potter stared at each other uncomfortably.

"Does this mean she likes me?" Potter said, looking down at his torso as if the answer would be inked across it in permanent marker (which given our pranking history, could have been a fair assumption). Black examined the table of Slytherins staring openly at him and Potter's exposed chests glassy-eyed, then gestured to them.

"Hate to brake it to you, but if THAT'S anything to go by, I'd wager a no… Anyway got to run mate, left my wand upstairs…It's the shorts…" He excused himself heading out of the hall.

I was surprised to hear Blacks voice once again, from behind the same tapestry as we'd trapped Lily behind last week, trying to bully her to help us.

"Hey…" I grudgingly joined him behind the tapestry, this so was the time; I was still panicking over whether or not he remembered me being at the party yesterday PLUS the embarrassment fifteen minutes ago. "I'm surprised your not crouched over a toilet right now…" I muttered. He flashed me his wolfish grin,

"What kind of Marauder would I be if I didn't have a hangover potion to hand?" I laughed softly,

"I swear you'll all end up alcoholics… Love the costume btw…" I smiled wickedly at him, surprised when he grinned back.

"Yes, well the ladies seem to enjoy it. It's from a muggle comic isn't it?"

"Yes, actually…" He came closer,

"You see, this bit's funny…the itching powder thing…not so much…" He leant his hands on the wall either side of my head, effectively caging me in.

"Sorry about that…you know, Katie's hoping to sell the formula to Zonko's, you where really the prototypes… So on the upside, there's 150 gallons in it for us…" I smiled sweetly. He sighed as if I was impossible to talk to but leant his head on my collarbone. It reminded me of when we were dancing last night and I gulped, throat suddenly dry, sure he could hear my heart beating double time.

"How much do you remember…about last night…?" I said carefully. He pulled his face up to mine, cupping my cheek,

"Well, it's all a little foggy to be honest," I sighed in relief before he continued, " But I remember…" He whispered inches from my lips "…Dancing all night …with a girl…" His breath was mingling with mine and I shut my eyes, playing with the hair at the nap of his neck.

"Was she pretty?" I asked, feeling slightly dizzy.

"I thought so…" My eyes snapped open, staring into his flecked grey ones.

"Oh?" I asked, trying to mask my interest, squirming slightly when the (blue!) skin around his eyes crinkled in amusement.

"Yeah…but I think I would have preferred her more _natural_, you know?" I tried to hide my horror-struck expression.

"Do you mean without makeup?" I asked nervously.

"Something likes that…" He whispered, closing the space between our mouths. Fireworks went of in my head and I raked my fingers down his back, loving the feeling of his bare skin against mine. I ran my hands over his hard abs and up to snake back around his neck, moaning involuntarily. He pulled away suddenly, panting.

"Just, don't dye your hair, ok? You make a goddamn _terrible_ blond..." He smiled wolfishly and I dropped my head onto his blue painted chest.

"Shit." I grumbled. He kissed me again more gently, this time I was the one to pull away.

"…And what is people's _problem_ with me being blond? Was it _that bad?" _I complained sourly between kisses.

"Yup …What _I_ want to know is why Lily was hanging out with 'Jess'… and this morning, she told us the costume's would disappear at five…almost like she was in on the prank ...plus Smurf's are muggle cartoons…What are a pair of Slytherins going to know about them…?" Not a good topic of conversation, I decided nervously. To distract him I left a trail of kissing up his neck and whispered into his ear in the most seductive tone I could muster,

"Well, for your information, that blue isn't really your colour either…" Then we were kissing furiously again and I couldn't really bring myself to care about anything else anymore.

I met Lily in the corridor outside the library several hours later, and was aware that she was frowning, scrutinizing my face as I went to say goodbye to her.

"…You've got blue stuff round your mouth, did you know?" She pointed out, eyes narrowed suspiciously. Oh Merlin's saggy left testicle…!

**E-oh... Hope it wasn't too OTT for you guys, funny this is my longest chapter and also probably holds the least relevant plot:) Hope it made you laugh... It's unhealthy how much I like writing Sirius/Sara stuff! **


	21. The Cracks Begin To Show

**Hello, sorry for not uploading over the weekend! I'm a little bit nervous about this chapter, as it's a shade darker than the other ones have been, please say if you'd rather it all stays fluffy and I'll make sure not to write much more on this thread... Anyway, so it's a bit more depressing than usual but I hope you all still enjoy it:) Thank you to Chel123, ginnytheginger and chairmanmeoww for reviewing.**

**Also, in response to ginnythegingers question, I'm british:) It's says so on my (atrociously bad) profile. Happy reading;)**

Chapter 21

The Cracks Begin To Show

Lily's P.O.V

It was only six days until Christmas and all was good, Sara and I had rekindled our old friendship, the Marauders had called quits with pranking until lessons began again, and I had not been trapped under ONE SINGLE piece of mistletoe for the whole holiday season. Not one. There were just a couple of tiny hiccups in my happiness. One was, predictably, James Potter. Usually, I couldn't even tell you what colour shirt he was wearing, but ever since the Smurf incident every time I saw him I was bombarded with little facts about him: how his hair, which I usually hated, always looked like he'd just got back from fooling around with some girl; how gorgeously sexy his arms looked when he rolled up his shirt sleeves to his elbows in his black school jumper; his shoulders were almost as broad as Black's and his top buttons were open _just _the right amount so I could get a tempting glimpse of his collarbone; that his nose was absolutely, perfectly, _maddeningly_, dead straight, and his lips were flawlessly full so he looked like some sort of Greek statue; how his eyes were an amazing shade of hazel, almost gold, like melting honey. This didn't mean I fancied him, not at all, of course not… But I hated the idea that I was attracted to James Potter in any way. Which brings me onto my second problem: Where was my boyfriend? I'd seen very little of him recently and honestly now more than ever I _needed_ to be reminded why I liked him. I lay on Mary's bed, frowning slightly.

"Lily, are you still worrying about Potter because really, what happened is totally natural! You're probably just discovering your feelings for him…?" I scowled at her; she knew it wasn't like that!

"No. I'm thinking about Lector for your information…"

"Who…?" She asked in a confused tone. I sat up and threw my pillow at her,

"My boyfriend Lector!" I huffed, scowling, " You knew that Mary!"

"Oh… Him…" She sighed as if he was a great inconvenience for her.

"What do you mean by that?" I snapped defensively. She pulled a face and then became serious.

"Well… I mean, I know he's hot and seems nice enough but, well, why do you like him?" She asked me. I sighed opening my mouth to brush her off "I'm serious, Lils! Tell me _exactly why_ you like Lector Scott…?"

"Well," I stared at her as she nodded encouragingly, "He's…He's a really great person, and he's trustworthy and kind and friendly…" I trailed off when I saw her pretend to gag.

"Yeah, yeah, typical Hufflepuff, I get the picture,"

"AND," I added angrily, "He's sensible and dependable and-"

"Incredibly BORING apparently! I just don't get you sometimes Lily, I mean, how can you compare that to what you have with James?" I gawked at her, momentarily forgetting to be pissed off.

"What?"

"You've got something _special_, exciting! Anyone would kill for that sort of _passion!" _She exclaimed with a dreamy expression.

"Yeah, you call it passion, I call it wanting to rip a persons hair out at the slightest thing. He gets on my _nerves_ Mary, not in a good way! It's like he know exactly how to push all my buttons and drive me insane with a couple of words. Whenever I talk to him it feels like I'm going to burst into flames, he's just so… he's a total bully! He treats everyone like dirt!" She looked at me slyly.

"He doesn't treat _you_ like dirt…"

"That's the whole point Mary! ... Of course you don't understand… Half the reason I _like _Lector is-" I shut my mouth suddenly, a sinking in my gut.

"Is what?" Mary asked.

"…Is that he's the exact _opposite _of James." I said quietly.

"Oh..." Mary said looking a bit uncomfortable but also like she needed me to elaborate on the subject.

"He's… He's just _easy to be with,_ you know? He's safe, reliable, and honest and …and _nothing _like James Potter…"I for some reason felt incredibly guilty at this revelation.

"Lily… There's something about Lector I think you should know…." Mary bit her lip at my suddenly ashen face.

"What?"

"He… I mean, I'm sure he's a wonderful person and all but… well, I'm not sure he's being as honest as you think he is…"

"Just tell me." I said carefully, bracing myself for the worse.

"Well, do you know the Hufflepuff seeker? Valerie Young? She's in fifth year?" My heart sunk, I had a horrible hunch it would be something to do with her, though I was surprised she was only 15, her scratchy voice was misleading. "Well, they've known each other since before she could talk, and they've always been … close…" She paused dramatically and I wanted to shout at her to get on with it. "But about a year ago they… you know, got their act together…" My eyebrows knitted at what I'd always suspected.

"Wait, when she was 14?" I couldn't imagine dating a fourth year at my age.

"Yeah, as you can imagine there were several raised eyebrows at that. Anyway, recently there was a massive rumor circulating that he'd, you know, been taking advantage of her... Sprout got involved and the whole thing ended in the two splitting. It was all a bit shifty to start with if you ask me…" I reeled slightly at this rather troubling personal newsflash.

"Ok, I'm sure it's not true, he wouldn't do that, even if he did he would never do it before she was 16… or at all…" I added with a shameful twinge of jealously in my voice.

"I haven't told you the important bit yet!" She told me. God, what could possibly be MORE important than that?

"What?"

"All this happened a week before… before he started dating you." Oh… Oh wow.

"I-I'm going to go and find him, I'm sure it's just the rumor mill spilling out crap, right?" When she didn't reply I echoed, "…right?"

I stalked into Hufflepuff common room, (the entryway was a stone arch a short way off from the kitchens, and apparently was free-for-all) people looked up surprised at the Gryffindor intruder. I scanned the room but didn't spot Lector, though my eyes did finally land on Sharon who, predictably, was with Dan (it was a minor miracle the two weren't dating)

"Where's Lector?" I asked urgently. Sharon looked at Dan and Dan looked at Sharon in that annoying way that the two seemed gifted with, as if they were having a detailed conversation with just their eyes.

"He's in the hospital wing." She finally said.

"With Valerie, she got a nasty injury in the game, lung punctured. It's taking a while to fix her up." Dan offered. I tried to feel sorry for her and not immediately suspect the worse of them both but still some of my suspicion must have shown on my face.

"You heard about those two, huh?" Dan sighed, rubbing a hand over his face, a nervous tick.

"What's going on? I heard some rumors-" I squawked, panicking.

"They broke up about a week before he asked you out, that much is true," He evaluated my expression as if he was trying to decide what other rumor I may have heard "We don't know about the rest of it, and even if we did, we wouldn't say." I sighed.

"So it's a lie?" I said, feeling like a weight had been lifted of my chest.

"He said we didn't know." Sharon said shortly "We think it's personal to them, it's their business to tell us what is and isn't true when they're ready." So Lector hadn't told them, that didn't bode well, after all, to him his team was family. He wouldn't hide things from them if it were just idle gossip.

"So he's in the hospital wing?" I finally said.

"Yes, but Lily, I wouldn't… I mean I think it's a bad idea…!" Sharon shouted after my receding back.

Arriving at the hospital wing, out of breath, I was met by closed doors and Madam Pomfrey's closed expression.

"The hospital wing is closed." She told me.

"But I just came to see if Lector was-"

"Mr. Scott isn't a patient in the hospital wing. I'm sorry, but it would be preferred if you could go about your social errands away from my healing students." She told me sharply.

"I meant, Valerie…I came to see Valerie…and Lector, he told me he was visiting her, I said I'd come along, but I'm late." I lied through my teeth.

"-I'm sorry Miss Evans but-"

"Please? She's been here for a week, I'm worried!" I begged, my gut churning with guilt. Madam Pomfrey sighed,

"Fine, but only for a minute, Miss Young is asleep at the moment, and will be let out tomorrow, honestly… teenagers… dramatics… couldn't wait …" She muttered to herself as she unlocked the door for me "One minute, don't make me come and get you!" She warned. I nodded my thanks and slowly headed in. I looked around and spotted them almost straight away, suddenly frozen. I was close enough to hear what was being said but not close enough to be noticed. Valerie was lying on her back on the bed, bandages still wrapped around her torso, her dirty blond hair loose for once and spread across the pillow like something from a fairytale. Complete with handsome prince leant over her in the moonlight, clutching the sleeping girl's hand, looking like a complete cliché that shouldn't exist outside a children's book, I was half expecting to see a tear streaking down his face.

"I'm sorry Vals…" He whispered, brushing a strand of hair of her forehead. I stared at the two, too much in shock to spoil the moment. He kissed her hair gently when she turned over slightly, wincing in her sleep. I finally made my feet move when he gently pressed his lips to hers. Not caring that Madam Pomfrey watched in surprise as I ran back out the room, because I had to away from them.

**Dun Dun DUNNNNNN...! just totally ruined the mood didn't I? :/**


	22. And If Mistletoe Could Wink

**Hey guys:) I'm really sorry for not uploading in ages, I've been having an emotional week:( Basically I broke up with my boyfriend this week, who I've liked since I was like 11****... Anyway, so I'm not really in the mood for angst, so I figured, how to avoid writing depressing breakup scenes whilst cheering myself up? FLUFF! And well, thats how this chapter was born:/ So sorry I just needed to write something cutesy and irrelevant this chapter.**

**Thank you so much to Chel123, chairmanmeoww, ****DerekHaleSiriusBlack1103 and my mysterious guest ****reviewer;P**

**also thanks to JessMusicNote, Kristen123 for favs/follows:)**

Chapter 22

And If Mistletoe Could Wink…

Lily's P.O.V

I knew I had to confront Lector about the rumor, not to mention what I saw, but for some reason I found myself putting it off. Perhaps I thought the problem would just go away? That I'd wake up and it would all be some sort of nightmare, and my supposed boyfriend wasn't in fact cheating on me with his way-to-young-for-him ex. But, eventually, I knew I had to go and find him, the best I could hope was that she wouldn't be there when I found him.

So, that was why I just so happened to be walking down towards the dungeons around the same time as Potter.

"Lily! Hi!" He jogged up behind me, with a bright smile despite my obvious bad mood.

"Potter I've got something urgent to do!" I sniffed angrily, speeding up.

"You headed for the kitchens too?" He joked, ignoring my scowl.

"No. Hufflepuff common room, actually." His good mood immediately vanished.

"Oh, great." He heaved a sigh. "Well. Enjoy meeting lover boy…" He snapped and went to step away when he apparently heard something, "Hey, Shush a second…" He tilted his head slightly.

"_I _wasn't the one talking!-" I began.

"Shhh!" He dismissed distractedly, placing a finger against my lips. I jerked my head back instinctively, as if I'd been burned.

"-What the!?- Fuck off Potter! What exactly do you think your doing?"

"If you'd just SHUT UP Evans, maybe you'd figure it out?" He began. But I waved him off, because this time I'd heard it too.

"Help… Help…!" There was a muffled cry originating from somewhere behind me. I turned to see an empty wall; except… A very normal looking broom cupboard door, from which the sound appeared to be coming.

"Hello? Are you ok?" I shouted through the door.

"Help me! Some girls locked me in here…I can't find the light…It's so dark!" The voice was female and sounded like a first year.

"Don't worry, well get you out!" Potter hollered, coming to the girl's immediate rescue, to my surprise.

"Thank you... Hurry!"

"Alohomora…" He opened the lock with a satisfying click and the door swung open in a rather sinister way. We both peered inside, and just about had time to register the broom closet was empty when I was pulled forwards as if by an invisible hand. I shrieked as James grabbed my hand in surprise, pulled into the room after me as we were both knocked off our feet. We landed in a tangled heap as the door slammed shut behind us, plunging us into darkness and effectively locking us in.

"Ouch…" Potters voice sounded oddly muffled, probably because his face was pressed into my stomach.

"GET YOUR BUTT OUT OF MY FACE POTTER!" I screeched so loudly the birds took flight in the Forbidden Forest. I tried to shove him off and he let out a grunt of pain, collapsing onto my lap again.

"Fuck! Evans you just elbowed me in the ribs…" We thrashed a bit in the dark until finally he rolled of me and we both struggled upwards.

"What the hell is going on?" I cried.

"It was a trap! Someone must have locked us in!" He pointed out, I fumbled in the darkness for the door, to no avail. I plunged a hand into my pockets.

"…Shit, I must have dropped my wand when we were…when I… you… fell on the floor…" I trailed off awkwardly, getting on my hands and knees and feeling around desperately.

"Me too, hold on," Potters voice came from somewhere to my right. After a couple of moments he apparently found a wand "…Lumos," A bright light shone into my eyes suddenly. Potters face was about four inches from mine.

Oh…erm…" We faced each other on our hands and knees awkwardly; unsure what to say, then the moment passed and he shone the light around, searching for the other wand.

"Think this is yours…"

"Yeah." I snatched my wand from his hand as he collected his from where it had rolled up against the wall.

"What the hell happened?" I panicked and then spotted Potters guilty expression. "What did you do?" I narrowed my eyes at him.

"I-I think it might be a prank I set up with Sirius…" He said meekly.

"THIS HAPPENED ON PURPOSE?!" I yelled at him.

"No! We do it every year! It was supposed to catch anyone, not …not _you. _I forgot it was here!" I let out a frustrated scream and turned to the door, pulling on the doorknob desperately,

"Alohomora… ALOHOMORA!" The lock didn't shift and I began to hit the doorknob with my wand with frustration.

"Stop! Stop! You'll break it!" He said told me looking concerned. "Besides, I think we may be stuck in here a while…"

"A wonderful observation, young man." A motherly voice with a strong Yorkshire accent suddenly joined the conversation. I screamed in fear and jumped about a foot in the air.

"Where are you?" Potter said suspiciously, wand out.

"Coooeyyy… Up here!" We looked up in confusion, pointing our wands at the ceiling, and my stomach hit the floor with an audible splat. In the light of our wands we could see a spring of mistletoe hanging from the ceiling above our heads. No, no, no, no, no, no….NOOOOO!...

"Oh please tell me that's not…?" James groaned.

"That's right! Talking Mistletoe! All the better because I can offer encouragement! Now, a little kiss for the fella and I'll let you both go," And I swear, if mistletoe could wink, that one would have winked at me right then.

"Potter I'm going to kill you! This is all your fault!" I shouted, thumping him in the chest.

"MY fault?" He yelped stepping out of the way of my fist. "How is it MY fault?!"

Sara's P.O.V

I giggled as we darted round the side of the castle, him half pulling me along by the hand.

"Is this a good idea Black? Anyone could see us!" I pointed out as we jogged. He drew me close and kissed me sweetly. Just when I thought my knees might buckle and the butterflies had started to get a little organized chaos going in my stomach he pulled away, eyes alight with mischief.

"Race you!" He shouted over his shoulder as he streaked away down the hill. I laughed loudly as I began to sprint after him as fast as I could; I'd always considered myself a good runner but he effortlessly kept ahead before doubling back to run alongside me. I laughed into the wind, feeling wild and free, heart pumping as my legs worked.

"Can't keep up Lay?" He teased.

"You haven't won yet, Black." I jumped onto his back and we tumbled easily into the grass, rolling down the hill wrapped in each others arms as snowflakes and bits of grass stuck to our cloths. The second we hit the base of the hill we were scrambling up again and sprinting off across the grounds. I was slightly ahead and glanced back to see Black's head thrown back as he let out a bark of laughter, teeth bared in the glinting sunlight. My feet flew over the uneven ground as we entered the shade of the forest, dodging between trees and jumping over brambles. Slowly as the adrenaline hype dulled I became aware of my aching limbs but kept running; he was level with me now. Finally we reached the little beach where we'd had our first almost-kiss and collapsed onto the pebbles, panting as I struggled to breath.

"That…was…fantastic!" I finally wheezed, cackling like a madwoman.

"…Yeah…" He gasped from next to me.

"Gosh! I haven't run like that since I was a kid!" I was totally exhausted, my lungs were screaming for oxygen and my legs felt like jelly but I felt completely _alive,_ like my blood was on fire in my veins. Sirius rolled onto his front and dipped his face down to get drunk on my lips again before turning back towards the sky, eyes shut and smiling.

"You found that Teddy yet?" He asked absently and I couldn't help but feel surprised.

"You still remember that, huh?" I asked. He leant on his elbow, facing me with a grin.

"_Of course!_ How could I forget?" He teased.

"Well, no. I haven't. It's upsetting me greatly! This will be my first Christmas without him!" I smiled back, though I had to admit I really did miss that silly wodge of fur. "…And then it will be my first New Year…. And then my first Lily's Birthday… And then…" He reached up and stroked his thumb across my cheekbone absently, staring at my eyes, "What?" I shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. Sometimes I felt like I could slap myself, finding it hard to believe that I'm _actually_ here or that a person could _actually _be that good-looking.

"Has anyone ever told you your eyes are the most amazing colour?" He whispered. I shook my head. "Well, they are…it's like they couldn't decide which colour to be, so they just threw them all together to see what would happen…" My lips twitched slightly,

"That would be brown…" I pointed out. He lent closer teasingly.

"Well, there's a bit of brown in there…but there's also orange…and green…" He lent so close now our noses brushed, still under the pretense of looking into my eyes "Mostly green… But blue around the edges." He lowered his voice to a whisper "…Beautiful…" He cupped my face in his hands and softly peppered feather-light kisses over my face. I shut my eyes trying to ignore the warm glow in my stomach that definitely wasn't just lust; and it scared me. Because whatever this was, it could _never_ be anything more than making out in shadowy corridors. I sighed sadly to myself as he pressed one last sweet little kiss to the end of my nose. I had to promise myself right then to never even entertain the prospect of falling in love with Sirius Black.

**So, Will James and Lily ever get out the smooching cupboard of doom or will the eventually kill each other? Will Sara and Sirius get caught snogging by the lake? Find out next chapter! reviews = ****cyber hugs... actually, I'm giving them away for free, I just really need a hug:/ (Pathetic I know, someone shoot me already)**


	23. Thing's I know I'll Regret

**First of, thanks to everyone who sent reviews and cyber hugs:) - (*_*) -**

**heehee, so anyway, thanks to Chel123, DerekHaleSiriusBlack1103, chairmanmeoww and . Also thanks to themem0ry for following:)**

**So...Lots of romance this chapter. I'm very sorry for the shittyness of the second part of this, tried to make up for it with some more fluff at the start...I know, I ****know, how could I mess up quite possibly the most important scene in a Jily fic? and to that I say...It's very late at night ok!**

Chapter 23

Things I Know I'll Regret

Sara's P.O.V

I had my head on Black's shoulder and his arms around my waist.

"So…" He said, "Who you going to the Slug club party with?" He asked. "You know you need a partner and your hardly going with me…"

"Oh, anyone would think you're ashamed of me!" I teased, grinning.

"Not at all, I'd be delighted to accompany you!" He replied in the same tone. Ok, I got his point, that wouldn't work at all.

"Fine, fine if you insist on going with someone else…" I sighed he chuckled into my hair.

"Your such an idiot Lay… So, who you asking?" I smiled.

"Well…" I pouted, "I guess I could ask Severus…" I giggled at his horrified expression.

"No! God no! WHY?" He yelped dramatically,

"He's just so damn _SEXY_, wouldn't you agree?" My voice dripped with fake-sweetness. He pretended to be sick and growled in the back of his throat,

"Lay, take a deep breath, try to clear your mind of those vile thoughts, and then get back to me." He looked so serious I couldn't help but laugh. I kissed him again, just because I could.

"Who you asking?" I finally said. He grinned evilly.

"Already going with Samantha Turntable…" He admitted. I recognized the name as a curvy blond Ravenclaw girl, famous in Slytherin for sleeping around. I punched him on the arm, laughing.

"You are _such_ a player! How DO you trick all these girls into snogging you?" He grinned and pulled me down on top of him.

"I have my ways…" He kissed me dizzyingly before suddenly pulling away with a grimace, "You wont kiss him or anything will you?" He asked, alarmed. I smiled suggestively so he his face went an amusing shade of grey. I leant close to his ear,

"No, you silly boy…" I brushed his perfect fringe out of his eyes as he smiled at me, pressing his lips to mine again, but he pulled away again after about 10 seconds, frowning.

"…And you won't touch his hair will you?! Or, if you do, you'll at least clean your hands thoroughly afterwards, right?" I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, I'll wash my hands…" I shook my head mockingly. "Honestly, Black, if I didn't know you well enough to realize you are an entirely selfish creature, I'd think you were jealous." I teased. He pouted.

"Not at all! I'm merely concerned for my person hygiene!" We snickered together for a moment.

"Your such a dick." He rolled over so he was above me, kissing me again.

"You love me really…" I shook my head, sighing. "So, what have we taken away from this conversation?" He asked.

"You were clearly dropped on your head as a baby?" I suggested. He pulled a face,

"That you are under _no circumstances_ to touch Snapes hair! Or touch Snape at all, thinking about it." He shuddered.

"Sure, now hurry up and snog me, I'm officially bored with this conversation." He raised an eyebrow,

"Whatever, your highness."

Lily's P.O.V

I curled my knees up to my chest, shutting my eyes. Potter was on the other side of the closet in a similar position, illuminated in a little bubble of light from his wand.

"How long have we been here?" I broke the silence finally. We'd argued continuously for about half an hour, but even our legendary spats had to fizzle out eventually.

"One hour, fourteen minutes and seven seconds and you still haven't kissed. If you keep going like this you could beat my record, I had a couple of kids once who took three whole hours to crack, poor silly things, its only a kiss after all!" The mistletoe interjected.

"You could at least shut up for five seconds! It's bad enough being trapped here without you twittering away!" I snapped irritably.

"Now, dear, that's hardly polite, I'm merely promoting Christmas spirit and-" The mistletoe let out a high-pitched squeak when I violently flung a bottle of magical stain remover at it, narrowly missing. "-Ok! Ok! Pretend I'm not here! It might even set the mood, huddled in the dark alone together… -I'm going! I'm going!" It squeaked when I grabbed a paintbrush threateningly. It curled up and vanished, though I had no doubt the stupid thing was snooping up in a corner somewhere.

"What idiot created that monstrosity?" I sighed. Then I looked up "Oh, wait, that would be you!" I laughed trying to provoke Potter. He looked up at me tiredly.

"I thought _I _was the annoying one?" He muttered. I huffed slightly and went back to sulking against the wall. After about five minutes he suddenly spoke up,

"So, what urgent business did you have with Scott?" He said the name like it was something nasty he was forced to spit out. I tensed slightly, swallowing down the sudden urge to cry my eyes out.

"N-None of your business…" I tried to bite back, but my voice was thick with unshed tears. James looked up in surprise, so I scowled defensively at him.

"What's he done?" Potters tone barely veiled his anger, he sounded like he was trying _very_ hard to keep his cool.

"He hasn't done anything! Leave me alone Potter!" I snapped turning my back to him I would NOT cry. I would NOT cry. I would NOT cry! I heard a bit of shuffling and I knew he'd slumped up against the wall next to me. "Please, for once in you life James, do what I tell you and just go away." I sniffed miserably. I nearly jumped a mile when I felt him place his hand on my lower back, rubbing comforting circles. At first I tensed up but in the end I turned around to face him. He had a look on his face I'd never seen him wear before; he looked properly, sincerely, concerned for me. He waited patiently for me to speak up, once I'd more or less reined in my tears in enough to choke out a sentence I said in a shaky voice,

"I think he's cheating on me…Actually, he probably never loved me in the first place …and I was _stupid_ enough to think he really liked me. To think I really liked him!" I became aware Potters hand had stopped moving on my spine and he seemed completely frozen in place.

"He cheated on you?" His voice was shaking too now, but for a very different reason. He looked like he wanted nothing more than to run up and kick Lector between the legs.

"W-Well I'm not sure…No…Well…He _kissed_ her!" I finally sobbed into my hands, bawling loudly. I knew I would regret crying in front of Potter but for now there was nothing I could really do to control myself. He tenderly pulled my hands away from my face, although his touch was gentle and kindly his face was twisted into a badly hidden look of rage.

"He kissed who?" His voice was low and dangerous and it scared me into pulling away. He sighed and said more gently, "Lily, please tell me who?"

"Valerie Young…" I murmured finally.

"The fifth year?" He asked in surprise. I nodded and his face darkened again, muttering something about scum and cradle snatching.

"I went to find him in the hospital wing and she was just lying there asleep and he looked at her in a way he'd…he'd never looked at me," I hiccupped, "And when he kissed her I ran off and he doesn't know why I've been avoiding him and I feel like such an _idiot_!" I sobbed out finally. Potter stared down at me for a long time, like he was trying to decide whether he wanted to punch Lector in the gut or give me a hug…or rather which to do first.

"Your not an idiot Evans…" He whispered, pulling me into his arms. I didn't even bother resisting and instead cried desperately into his chest, and he just held me close. Even through my tears I couldn't help but notice how safe I suddenly felt; how strong and comforting his arms were around me; I could hear his heart racing double time against my ear but he didn't make a single move other than embracing me; that he smelled amazing, a mixture of broom polish, forests and that musky smell of _man_ which could drive a girl mad. "You're the smartest witch I know, your beautiful and courageous and simply being around you makes boys want to be better human beings, just so one day they could have the slightest chance of calling you there's. Scott must be insane to let you slip away, so please don't cry over him…" Instead of stopping I wept even harder, clutching his robes like a lifeline.

"You don't understand!" I wailed.

"Well then explain it to me…" He said gently. I shook my head, eyes screwed shut. "Please Lily?"

"You'll hate me! You'll think I'm…" He gently coaxed it out of me.

"I won't Lily, I promise." I looked up to check he was telling the truth.

"I… The reason I'm upset is …When I saw the kiss I felt…nothing!" I sobbed. His brow furrowed in confusion, "I mean, I felt betrayed and used but… but other than that _nothing_! Not even jealously! I just…didn't care enough… And it suddenly hit me that I'm dating Lector for all the w-wrong reasons! I'm not in love with him! I'm fond of him sure, but the only reason I'm dating him is he's nothing like y-" My mouth snapped shut and Potter looked shocked at my outburst, then a tiny frown crossed his face.

"Nothing like who?" He asked.

"N-never mind." His arms were stiff around me and his face darkened further.

"Nothing like who Lily?" He pulled away, and I suddenly felt cold without his arms around me.

"It doesn't matter James, forget it," I whispered, but the damage was done and a pained expression crossed his face.

"Nothing like _ME_, huh Lily? Because he's nothing like ME!" He thundered, standing up and pacing around like a caged animal.

"I-I'm sorry!" I told him, but he was so upset I doubt he heard me.

"I don't _get_ you Lily! I really don't! You tell me I'm a complete bastard and not worth you time and then you sit their playing mind games! Do you have any idea how it felt watching you kiss him? Your right, you not in love with Lector, because if you were, your world would be crashing down around you right now! You'd feel like you wanted to kill that girl for laying a _finger_ on him! Because that how _I_ felt whenever I saw you two! But you just don't _care_ do you Lily? Because you think I don't have feelings! Well I do! And your IT for me Lily Evans, whether you like it or not! And if I died alone at 97 and I got to kiss you just _once,_ I wouldn't care, because I'd know that for a while, Lily Evans was in love with me. But you wont will you? You just don't CARE!" He was still pacing like a mad man and I was pretty sure I wasn't the only one crying anymore. And then I realized that just this once, I had to put things right with James Potter.

"James, stop, I'm sorry ok?" I told him, stepping towards him.

"Lily, just…Just leave it!" He told me, trying to step away from me.

"Potter, listen to me! I'm sorry! And I know I'm self-centered and I was wrong and I treat you badly, and I'm sorry for all of that." I grabbed his wrist to stop him from stepping away, and in the light of my wand I could see his cheeks were shiny with tears. He looked like a lost child, completely vulnerable. "I'm so sorry…" He nodded, swallowing.

"Ok." And I knew what I was about to do was very, very wrong. It was selfish and wasn't going to help anyone, and I truly would be messing with his head. But for some reason I did it anyway, in that moment it was what he needed, what _I _needed. I closed the space between us, standing on tiptoes and stretching up so our faces were level. I shut my eyes, suddenly nervous as I kissed him tenderly. For a second he was frozen, eyes open, too shocked to move…And then he kissed me back and stars exploded behind my eyes. My whole body was tingling with sparks of electricity I'd never experienced before and I ran my fingers through his messy jet-black hair, unable to think straight. I dropped my wand and it spun madly, illuminating the walls. I could taste salty tears, his or mine I didn't care. He deepened the kiss and suddenly I pulled away.

"That was a really, _really _stupid thing to do…I should not have done that…I shouldn't…" He was looking down at me, breathing heavily with his hair mussed up and eyes shining with desperation.

"Lily please-" his voice was hoarse and strained with need. He only got half the words out before his lips were crashing hungrily back down on mine and we were stumbling backwards until my back hit the cold stone wall. It might have hurt if his hand hadn't been cradling my head at the time. No one had ever kissed me like James did then. When James Potter kissed you it was as if he would die without your lips on his, he somehow made you feel like you were the only girl in the whole world. It was intoxicating and my mind was cloudy with desire. Somewhere in the back of my consciousness I knew I had to stop, or someone would get hurt…what was I saying? It was too late; he was _already_ going to get hurt! But then he bit down on my lower lip in a way that made me moan into his mouth and I forgot how to breathe, never mind stop_._ I couldn't _stop_. Not ever. I finally understood what he meant about me being IT for him, because if anything was, _this_ _was defiantly IT…_

"See, that wasn't too hard was it? I knew you two would crack eventually, I could have cut the sexual tension in here with a knife…Well, if I had arms… and even then it wouldn't work…" I pulled away in shock, bashing my head painfully on the wall. Potter was still looking like I'd just whacked him over the head with a beaters bat. That bloody mistletoe! The door swung open, we were free to go. I turned looking at him, with no idea what I had just done. He recognized my fight or flight expression and reached out.

"-Lily, wait!" My head was spinning and I could still feel the warmth of his mouth on mine,

"Oh…shit…I'm so sorry…I'm…oh god…" I turned around and ran, ignoring his calls and I legged it from the room with no idea where I was going, I was crying again and I felt lost, I didn't know what to do next.

**Lily, what have you done? Hope you stick around to find out what happens next! Thanks for all the support!**


	24. Chapter 24

**So, this is the bit were I make a load of excuses as to why I haven't written in an AGE...uh...a) My grandparents were over from spain b) I had an AWFUL case of writes block (which is also why this chapter is sort of awful too) c) HOMEWORK d) I discovered The Inbetweeners:/**

**Anyway, thank you so so SO much to chairmanmeoww, DerekHaleSiriusBlack1103, chel123 and LunaNotLoony for the wonderfully helpful ****reviews, I'm glad you liked the chapter I was a bit worried as always!**

**Disclaimer: None of it is mine! sob...**

Chapter 24

On Christmas Morning...

Lily's P.O.V

A cloud of guilt followed me down the Transfiguration corridor on Christmas morning; how could I do this to Potter? He'd liked me for _years_ and I'd just snogged him heartlessly with no excuse other than that he was a little bit sad and I was a little bit sad, it was dark and it was all a little bit confusing. I had no idea how I would ever forgive myself, I was a despicable human being and he didn't deserve to end up with someone as selfish as me. I still technically had a boyfriend for fucks sake! I knew I was going to have a shit day when no sooner had this thought occurred to me, I practically walked into said boyfriend. Panic nearly overtook me and we stared at each other for a long second,

"Lily?" He sounded surprised to see me, "Sharon told me you heard about Valerie-" I shook my head,

"Not now Lector…" I walked briskly past him, fighting away tears.

"No, Lily, wait!" I carried on, fists clenched so tightly I was pretty sure I would draw blood. "Please...!" I couldn't handle speaking to him right now, not with what had happened with Potter. "Lily, I just want to tell you truth…" The truth? Well, that's bloody likely, I'm sure he'll conveniently forget their little snog in the hospital wing. Lector caught up with me, grabbing my elbow so I had to turn around to face him.

"Leave me alone! Please? I can't deal with this right now!" I said anxiously as people began to turn to look. "But I swear, it's not at all what you think!" He said, a circle was now forming and I looked round desperately for a way out, as fought the urge to run away as fast as possible. I sighed beginning to turn away from him.

"Just leave me alone Lector…"

"-Lily, _I can explain!_" He said desperately. Before I could react, something flashed past me and his hand was ripped from my arm. I spun back around to see Potter had just rugby tackled Lector to the ground, I watched in shock as they jumped back up and began to circle one another like the ring of onlookers was some sort of boxing ring.

"I thought she told you to _fuck off!" _James snarled.

"JAMES!" I shrieked as he punched Lector in the gut, causing him to double up and stumble backwards.

"Stay out of this Potter!" He shouted, punching Potter in the eye. 'Oh fuck' didn't quite cover it. Potter leaped forward and kneed Lector between the legs, making him groan and fall to his knees. ('There go Valerie's future children…' I couldn't help but think inappropriately given the severity situation.) Lector barreled into James knees, making him crash to the ground, punching him again. James struggled on top of Lector, drawing his fist back to hit him again.

"Lector, James stop it!" I yelled as Lector tried to kick Potter off.

"Fight, fight, fight!" Overexcited student crushed in around us as they both completely ignored me,

"You fucking scum! You used her and now you have the nerve to try and crawl back to her! You don't deserve to even breath the same AIR as Lily!" James yelled, Lector punched him in the mouth painfully and I jumped forward, pulling on James's arm in a futile attempt to get him off.

"At least I'm not stalking a girl who hates my guts! You disgust her and yet you still bother her constantly! Where's the moral high ground in that?" James roared and punched him in the jaw, pining him down.

"What is the meaning of this!?" I was never so glad to see Professor McGonagall in my life. "Mr. Potter get off him _immediately!"_ Potter slowly stood up, kneeing Lector in the ribs as he did, I noticed. The students in the corridor buzzed excitedly as McGonagall told them all to carry on walking unless they wanted detention for a year.

"You three! I expected better from all of you!" McGonagall looked at me in disappointment.

"Wait! It's not Lily's fault, I started it Professor!" James immediately fessed up. Both he and Lector had split lips and his right eye was already going a mottled blue colour, he wiped his bleeding mouth with his sleeve and pocketed his crumpled glasses.

"Silence! You'll all be joining me for detention tonight, 8.00pm."

"But Professor! It's Slughorn's goodbye party…we're all supposed to be going!" I panicked. She looked at me incredulously, and I knew why -Any normal human being would be none-to-upset about missing it, but I was honestly fond of the man.

"I guess you should all have thought of that before your started fights in the corridors." She said sternly. "You'll have to say goodbye to him in your own time. Scott, go to the hospital wing, Potter, stay here until he's well ahead of you. If I hear that you've been within twenty meters of one another again tonight, I'll be taking this to Professor Dumbledore." She warned. Lector tried to catch my eye, "I don't know what you're waiting for Mr. Scott, but I suggest you hurry up!" He apologized and walked off meekly. She turned to me "I'm very disappointed Miss Evans, don't let it happen again or I'll be forced to ask for you to return your prefects badge." She warned, walking away.

"Lily-" I turned to Potter, eyes flashing with anger,

"Don't talk to me! I can't BELIEVE you hit him like that!" He gritted his teeth,

"He's not exactly innocent either!" I suddenly realized that even minus the cuts and mottled bruises, he looked _awful_; like he'd stayed up half the night crying and breaking things, but my heart rate still sped up at the very sight of him …Had it always done that? How had I never noticed it before?

"You started it though!" I yelled.

"I was only trying to protect you!" He argued. I shoved him pathetically in the chest.

"I can protect myself! I don't need _your _help!" I snapped.

"He can't treat you like that, Lily! He'll never deserve you!" He shouted back and I tried to push him again but he grabbed my wrists, making me see red.

"What, _and_ _YOU_ _will_?" I bellowed, my voice echoing in the empty corridor. His wounded expression almost made me want to take the words back…until he kissed me again. He fiercely pressed his mouth to mine like it was the last thing he would ever do, even though it had to hurt his mouth to do so. I felt the anger and frustration in me begin to melt away and just as I almost got lost in his dazzlingly addictive lips I pulled my head away sharply; he was still gripping my wrists possessively.

"Get off!" He let go of me immediately, looking like he wasn't quite sure what he'd just done. "I'm sorry I let myself kiss you yesterday James, but I'm not going to let you get anymore hurt ok? It was an accident, a …momentary weakness so please don't keep on doing it again ok?!" I told him sharply. He stepped away,

"I'm sorry." He said thickly, "I …I don't …I'd best be going." He managed. I nodded gently,

"It was my fault James, it's ok…" He shook his head and hurried away without looking back, though I was sure I could see his shoulders shaking. As soon as he was out of earshot I let out a small sob, standing, dumbstruck, until I suddenly realized I could taste the metallic tinge of blood in my mouth and hastily wiped it away.

Katie's P.O.V

Christmas morning had already stared out a pretty medioka affair, what will Bella dragging us all out of bed at 6.20 to 'open our presents' I'd gotten a dress for Slugs from my mother and a note which read, and I quote, 'Darling, you'll look gorgeous in this, I guarantee you'll have had three proposals by the end of the night!' so at least my mother was feeling optimistic about the party. I had to find a date for tonight, fast. I'd been planning to swallow my pride over our fallout and ask Severus, but Sara went and beat me to it, so my options were now limited to Regulus Black from the year bellow, Avery or Mulcumber. Oh, except Regulus was going with Annabel Greengrass from the year above (nasty, vile, cradle snatching, _DATE STEALING_ SLUT!), and Mulcumber currently had Bella sat on his lap whispering suggestively in his ear in a way which clued me in that she may _possibly_ have just beaten me to it …Why is Slytherin house full of whorish idiots? Grrrr… All this, horrifically, lead up to me stood, nervously fidgeting in front of Avery as he slouched on the leather sofa like a king assessing a commoner. Now, as you may or may not have gathered, there are VERY FEW occasions in which I am nervous, unfortunately, standing under Avery's reptile gaze was one of them. The couple making out on the sofa next to him stopped to look up at me.

"Why hello, Johnson, sweetheart…" He purred. Resisting the untamable desire to gauge his eyeballs out, I took a deep breath.

"Avery, would you like to go to the Slug club Party with me?" I asked, trying to sound as sincere as possible. There was something reptilian about his grin too, I noticed.

"I knew you would give up eventually Katharine…" He purred again in that horribly slick voice, looking me up and down as if I'd already agreed to marry him. I swallowed, shutting my eyes briefly. It was ok. I would be fine. I just needed to keep calm, it was only one party, I just needed to pose for a few photographs so my mother would have her stupid proof that I'd attended and then I would never have to look at that monstrous boy again.

"So," Bella started between slobbering on Mulcumber's face. "Are you looking forward to it Katie?" I grit my teeth.

"Yes. Of course." I spat out.

"Oh…" Her expression became calculating "I suppose you know that Professor Knight arrived today, I saw him talking to Slughorn myself, he barely looks older than Mulcumber here…" She cooed as my heart sank "I overheard Slug asking him to make a surprise appearance at the party…" I turned and walked out of the common room before she could say another word, alarm bells going off in my head. HE was going to Slug's. HE was going to Slug's. HE was going to Slug's! My mind whirred in a mix of fear and annoyance as I tried to calm myself down …Well, at least now I knew why Bella was so keen to get into the stupid Party…

Sara's P.O.V

On Christmas morning, for the first time in more or less the whole of Hogwarts history, I was the first to wake up in the Slytherin girl's dorm. With a quiet groan of protest I sat up, the sun hadn't risen yet so I estimated it was around 4am. Carefully, I tried to search the room for what had woken me without alerting the others. It was only when I'd circled the whole room and returned to my bed that I jumped back with an almost-scream. Sat on my pillow was none other than Dum-de-dum, with his dark blue fur still clean and fluffy (no pondweed in sight!) with a little reddish bow tide neatly round his neck. I scrambled forwards, ridiculously happy and hugging the stupid thing tightly to my chest. After about a minute of reunion time with the teddy I frowned. Who the hell would get it back for me? Unless…Was _Black_ capable of being so thoughtful? My suspicions where confirmed when I found a post-it note on my pillow:

_**-Just a little gift so you wont have to keep exercising your awful fishing techniques. Have a very merry Christmas, Lay!**_

I felt a small grin creep onto my face, too happy to worry about the face _Sirius Black_ had put it there.

**Well, at least Sara and Katie's mum are having a decent time...Review please!**


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